Unexpected Reactions

Here's where we go to kick back after the races with our pals. Pour a tall one, punch a few buttons on the jukebox, and relax...
User avatar
Billy Mac
Posts:2213
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:50 pm
Location:Cairo, GA
Unexpected Reactions

Postby Billy Mac » Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:25 pm

This morning, I experienced/witnessed something that has had my mind in knots all day...

As I was heading to my mom's house/ my shop, I came upon a few cars stopped at the railroad tracks...a couple heading as I was, south and a couple of others trying to go north. As I pulled up behind the southbound vehicles, I was thinking to myself... "What are these idiots doing NOW?" (and No, I wasn't in a really good mood at the time) As one of the northbound cars slowly eased across the tracks...I saw what was holding things up: A Duck. He (or she) was walking around in circles in the middle of the road. How cute, I thought, as my mood lightened a bit. The other northbound car proceeded across the tracks and then the car in front of me pulled around the lead car in our little group. The duck was too close to the lead car for those folks to really move anywhere, and besides it was right in the middle of the road, almost as if it was looking for a handout or a treat. As I eased past the duck, I noticed something about him/her... ruffled head and neck feathers. Then I noticed something else way more meaningful to the duck; a very large Hawk standing in the grass on the side of the road, watching the duck.

What started out as a cute, albeit unwanted interuption to my morning, all the sudden turned to a wild animal's worse nightmare come true. I am throughly convinced that that duck was searching for help from the passing vehicles: pleading for his life to strangers. Wow...Wild Kingdom right in front of me.

What's got me all bumfuzzled, is my reaction to all this... I mean, as a kid and then a young adult, I used to hunt all the time. I was of the opinion that...If it flies it dies, if it crawls it falls. Ocassionally, I would level my sights on something just for the hell of it...an unfortunate bat flying around my parent's pond one evening comes to mind. He didn't stand a chance. Now all of the sudden, I am seeing things from a different perspective. As a former fisherman, suddenly I am looking at things from the worm's point of view (sorta)... Wow...talk about having your whole life and being thrown into an upside down tailspin... I really don't know what to think about my emotional reaction to all this...and also, I'd like to offer my apologies to y'all for rambling... I just needed to vent :? :?
Long Live Draglist!
Thank You Vets
In God we Trust...(all others pay cash)
Billy Mac Signs-West/Pegasus Race Cars

User avatar
WildcatOne
Posts:6732
Joined:Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:17 am
Location:Houston, Texas
Contact:

Re: Unexpected Reactions

Postby WildcatOne » Thu Sep 23, 2010 11:05 pm

You understood the gravity of the situation the duck was in...like Wheelz said, Billy, you have a good soul. Thanks for the story. Great moral to all of it!

Now, today it rained here big-time. When it was over, I watched a little frog eat a worm on my patio...I didn't try to save the worm...the frog had himself a whopper of a meal. He chased that worm around, and finally grabbed him and sucked him down. The worm must have been about 4 inches long and he put up a fight but the frog kept at it until he had him locked in his jaws...I just let nature take its course that time...WC1
Life Is Good!
http://www.peeweebowenband.com
Support Live Music!

User avatar
Novel-T
Posts:5879
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:02 pm
Location:Langley, British Columbia

Re: Unexpected Reactions

Postby Novel-T » Thu Sep 23, 2010 11:36 pm

My short story is not as profound as Billy's
Growing up in a faming community, I started to bird hunt at 14.that what was done,I didn't question it,I just hunted after school and on weekends.When I was 19,a cold October evening it's raining,I'm thinking come on *&*# ducks I want to shoot you.Finally a flock flys right in front of me.BAM! I got one,I realized I was happy I had just killed something.I unloaded the gun,picked up the duck,dropped it off at friends house and have never hunted again

User avatar
jim sanders
Posts:8740
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:54 am
Location:St.Louis Mo.
Contact:

Re: Unexpected Reactions

Postby jim sanders » Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:59 pm

Good reading guys. I do eat meat but have never been the hunter..... I also enjoy watching nature around my house do their daily deals. Be it a common squirl or blackbird,the ocassional possum or even a local kitty with no collar on we throw stuff out on the driveway for them and a bowl of fresh water if it hasn't rained for a while
GOOD TO GO !!
Uncle Curt Wasson album
[url=http://www.glowfoto.com/users2/gatorgumbo][img]http://www.glowfoto.com/siteimages/linktogallery.gif[/img][/url]

User avatar
23t
Posts:1393
Joined:Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:35 pm
Location:ohio
Contact:

Re: Unexpected Reactions

Postby 23t » Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:57 am

I know what your saying Billy. Just like you growing up and as a young adult, I hunted just about anything for the thrill of it. Now I find myself somewhat protecting animals.

For instance, I was cutting the grass one day this past summer in the big yard out front of the shop. I made one round and on the second round I seen something run threw the grass. Here it was a baby rabbit. I stopped the tractor and sure enough I came with in inches of a nest. Just then out came two more! I looked around the nest for any I may have hit. Didn't find any, Good! So I chased them down, picked them up, put them back in the nest and covered it back up with grass. Then I went as far as getting a bucket and covering the nest so I could finish the yard. Then I was worried, I know that crows raid rabbit nests if they find them and will kill the young. So for the next couple of days I kept watch over the nest until the babies were gone. Don't know for sure if they made it but I know I did the best I could to not be responsible for their demise.

I still like to hunt but anymore it's more of an excuse to get out in the woods and enjoy nature. As for the killing part, I won't take down anything that's not a pest or won't be eaten.

User avatar
Billy Mac
Posts:2213
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:50 pm
Location:Cairo, GA

Re: Unexpected Reactions

Postby Billy Mac » Wed Sep 29, 2010 11:53 pm

Its kinda funny (but not in a "ha ha" way) how our perspective changes over the years. The sign of growing up?? D**n, I hope not, because I refuse to grow up, even if I AM being forced to become older :roll:
Long Live Draglist!
Thank You Vets
In God we Trust...(all others pay cash)
Billy Mac Signs-West/Pegasus Race Cars

User avatar
23t
Posts:1393
Joined:Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:35 pm
Location:ohio
Contact:

Re: Unexpected Reactions

Postby 23t » Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:50 am

[quote="Billy Mac The sign of growing up?? D**n, I hope not, because I refuse to grow up, even if I AM being forced to become older :roll:[/quote]

:lol: I'm with you! May not have control over the growing older part but we don't have to grow up!! :wink:


Return to “Dangerous Bill's Cafe Noir”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests

cron