Joseph Fowler climbs a tree at the corner of Victoria and Trade streets to fetch a T-shirt that went awry after it was launched during Tunes on Trade Friday night.
With T-shirt in hand, Joseph Fowler makes his way down a tree. Fowler went after the T-shirt for his mother-in-law Mary Dempsey, who suffered a stroke three months ago.
The Wild Ace Pizza girls created a stir when a couple of launched T-shirts went off target. One was lofted on a roof and the other was off target in a nearby tree.
A T-shirt gun operated by the Wild Ace girls at Friday’s Tunes on Trade launched one offering high into the tree at the corner of Victoria and Trade streets, out of sight and almost out of reach of almost anyone.
“My mother (Dempsey) had a stroke three months ago and I told my husband, (Joseph) to get it for her,” Anna Fowler said with a laugh. “I feel guilty I rooted him on.”
Joseph had little trouble climbing the curbside tree but the T-shirt was on a limb that required him to stretch to his right while anchored on a thick branch that would support him.
Within five minutes Joseph wormed and pulled his way up to grab the T-shirt and wiggled his way down. He was littered with leaves and tree debris on his head and shoulders, his “best pullover”, according to Anna, was torn and Joseph had scratch marks on his arms and hands.
Tree climbing, Joseph said, was a family trait he learned as a youth. “My parents have groves of pecan trees in Campobello and my job over Thanksgiving is to climb the trees and get the pecans.”
Joseph was cheered by hundreds of people who watched his climb. He walked briskly over to Mary to present her the T-shirt. “He’s special,” she said as she patted him on the back.
