PEPE'S BACK AND I'M FEELING BLUE

  I admit I poo-pooed GNJohn when he told me to take that skunk far-far away. I figured a couple of miles was plenty. I was wrong. That skunk Shewho saw walking up the road WAS Pepe. He had his snoot in the cat's dish by yesterday morning. He's sleeping peacefully in the trap as we speak. Today he's going for a loooooong ride. 

   

   It's been a tough couple of sleepless nights for me. Missing that buck hit home hard. Rarely do circumstances line up so perfectly. The combination of the buck fighting, making him responsive to my calls, the little spike distracting him, a clear, unobstructed shot, good light, etc., etc., all made this miss all the more bitter. I blame only my lack of shooting skill. AND it's not only with the bow I have trouble. I miss 'em just as easily with the gun. But once all the belly aching is done, let my old man put things in perspective.

  Today my father starts radiation treatment for all the cancer he has chewing up his body. He's already on chemo. Both he, and my mom go to the hospital like it's a 9 to 5 job. Week after week, month after month, this is how they spend their time. Both are sick, unable to do things they used to take for granted. So when hunting season starts I try to give him daily updates. My buck miss story had him splitting a gut.

   Neither of my parents are complainers. i wish they passed their stoicism down to me. If I get the stifles I turn into a complete whining asshole. If I miss a big deer I put more gravel in my shoes and cinch my barbed wire belt a little tighter. So, after my very detailed story about the fighting bucks, the grunting call, the warm glow of the setting sun.......my old man interjected between giggles. "You know, I'd give my left nut for an afternoon like you just had- miss and all." He was right. I had missed clean. I had called in a big buck and taken a safe shot. OK, two shots.  It's difficult to realize how much we have to be thankful for. Little things like being able to climb in that tree stand can be enormous to someone who no longer can do that. Last night the old man said he woke up in the middle of the night with a smile on his face, knowing I was tossing and turning in my bed, replaying my miss. He wasn't mean about it....just honest. An inch higher.....an inch lower...... I tossed and turned. He was right about it all. Most of all he made me realize how good I have it. Put a few more arrows into that target and get back in the tree, and quit yer belly aching. Amen.