WHO CAN YOU TRUST?

   When I spend almost an entire day hunting, i spend a lot of time thinking. I think about all kinds of stuff. I think about the plumber blowing me off in the 11th hour and disappearing off the face of the earth. I think about Shewho's neighbors in White Sulfur Springs and their Latin Satan and my neighbors in Glen Wild and their fence.  I think about the dreams I had last night and my parents' radiation and chemo treatments. I think about how Shewho's boss reached out from the grave and dropped her from her will, leaving Shewho an understandable mess. I think about trust and who deserves it.

   My brother Bird describes a friend as "someone who'll bail you out of jail at 3am." (Bird will never go to jail, so most likely his theory will go untested.) I, on the other hand, may do time but sadly have no such test. I go with my gut. I have  quite a few friends. And luckily I can trust a bunch of them.  I have a good family and extended family. And when all's said and done I trust Shewho.  How could someone not trust her? Could my judgement be that clouded or askew? 

Of course I'm thinking all this while I'm sweating down the back ridge above Gilkey's in a drizzly rain. i have the 12 ga. and am looking for turkey sign. Then I looked down and see a small j shaped turd. Turkey shit.  I sit down and make a few calls. Within five minutes I hear a putt. Then a full five noted hen call. I'm on it. I put the shotgun across my knee and call softly. The bird responds but i can't tell where she is. Then it goes silent. I sit still for at least a half hour but never see a bird. Fall turkey hunting can be way harder than in the Spring. 

But, as i was saying. I'm blessed with trustworthy people, when it comes right down to it. I grew up with most of them. And now Shewho has them also. I'm sure if push comes to shove they will all have her back. Remember, if I go I only plan to be gone three days.