The World's Ugliest Tree

Hi, it's Celia again!

My mom bought a tree five years ago and planted it in our front garden. It is a weeping crab apple. Last week she was pruning it.
"What's wrong with that tree, Mom?" I asked her.
"It's supposed to weep, but it doesn't. So I have to cut off all the branches that grow upward, and leave the ones that grow downward."
"But that's most of the branches, Mom. There's hardly any branches left!"
"I know, but that's what the man at the nursery told me to do."
"That's one ugly tree." I informed her. "It looks like a Charlie Brown tree, all bent over like that."
Silence.
"That's gotta be the ugliest tree in the world."
More silence
"Isn't that the tree that Aunt Debbie said she was going to run over with her car, just to put it out of its misery?" I asked.
"Yes, it is."
"Isn't that the tree that perfect strangers drive up our driveway to snicker at?"
"Now you're exaggerating," she replied.
"Well why don't you cut it down and plant a new one?"
"Because I think with enough time it can be beautiful."
"Mom! It's been five years! Admit defeat and move on!"
But she didn't. And I don't think she will. Here's the tree.