Albert had an oak tree outside his cabin that his son, Albert Jr., who had died in his twenties, had insisted on saving when the house was built. For years Albert tried to steer the tree away from the house so that it would not damage it. For a while he was successful, but as the tree grew thicker and taller, he was no longer able to control it. It kept coming closer and closer to the house, and when the wind blew, the main trunk began to sway and strike at the vital structure of the house.

That oak tree had much sentimental value, so Albert resolved that he would steer it away from the house at whatever co…