What happened today during my unemployment sabbatical

[derby378]

Yes, depite my best efforts, I am now officially unemployed on top of being a newly-minted widower. So now I'm housesitting for my parents in rural eastern Texas for a few days. And here's what I've encountered earlier today:

As I was driving towards town to run a few errands (about 10 miles away from the house), I saw a fawn dash into the woods about a hundred feet ahead of me. On the other side of the road, I noticed a mature doe running to and fro in front of a barbed wire fence that separated her from the county road and her baby.

She stopped running and stared straight at my car. Into my eyes. I had already stopped the car so that she could find her way across the road into the woods. She realized that I understood what she was trying to do.

The doe broke into another run, building up speed, and then gracefully vaulted over the barbed wire fence with a couple of inches to spare. Then she ran into the woods to rejoin her little one.

I saw what might have been the buck of the family a couple of miles down the road, over by the creek bed.

Later this afternoon, way out on the other side of town in the countryside, I saw a little turtle bravely trying to make his way across the county road despite all the big noisy cars and trucks barreling down the road at 60 miles an hour.

Ginny would have rescued that turtle if she were here. So I yanked the car around and headed back.

The turtle was huddled under his shell, scared to freakin' death as car after car zoomed over him. I thought for sure a couple of cars were going to hit him, but they never did.

I finally ran out in the middle of the road, picked up the shell, and carried it into the grass on the other side of the road. When I set it down, the turtle stuck out all of his little legs and his head. He extended the head out as far as he could and peered up into my face in what looked like amazement and awe, as if to say "Are you a god?"

I didn't kiss the turtle on the head before leaving. Ginny would have, though.

Anyway, that's my excitement for today, other than wrangling a couple of fur babies at the homestead.

[CoffeeCat]

1. That's just too sweet...

...You did Ginny proud.

You are a very kind soul.

I hope you find employment soon. I am so sorry about you losing your wife. It must
be so difficult and I am sure you miss her terribly.

Despite your pain, you acted very selfless and you should be proud of yourself.

:)

[derby378]

3. Aw, shucks...

Thank you for the encouraging words.

I am now reading Everything Is Going To Kill Everybody by Robert Brockway and laughing my fool head off. Great book about real threats to human existence that have nothing to do with Mayan calendars, Christian dispensationalists, Nostradamus, etc.

[raccoon]

10. I'll look for that book. And thanks for your post.

All the best to you, derby. :hi:

[awoke_in_2003]

24. Thanks for that book title...

stay cool.

[Control-Z]

2. ...

:hug:

[Steely_Dan]

4. You are a gentle soul...

As I told my 16 year old on her birthday...

I made a list of things to always remember.

#5 Always watch over animals...often, they cannot take care of themselves.

-P

[OffWithTheirHeads]

5. . Every once in a while, you get the big picture. There is no reason

to kill shit just because it is there.

If you grew up hunting, this is a hard concept to understand.

[emilyg]

6. Your kindness brought

tears to my eyes.

[Historic NY]

7. Everything happens for a reason....good work.

[nenagh]

8. What a beautiful reaction to the death of your lovely wife....

Best of luck...

[tavalon]

9. I'm so sorry you lost your Ginny

but I'm very glad she made deep impressions (good impressions) into your soul. I know their are plenty of cynics who would say what you did didn't make a damn bit of difference. But to that Doe, that baby deer and that turtle, you made all the difference in the world.

[CrispyQ]

11. I too, would have kissed the turtle on the head!

I love your Ginny! The world would be a better place if more were like her. So sorry for the loss of your beloved. :hug:

[marew]

12. Thank you so much!

I am so very sorry for your pain.

I cried when I read what you did. There is much too little of that basic kindness and compassion around any more. And I do believe in karma-- I am sure your goodness will come back to you somehow, someday.

Once, when I was a kid, my family was on a vacation trip to New Orleans. We were on a remote, back road somewhere and suddenly my father turned the car around. There was a turtle in distress by the side of the road. My father said, "There's nothing more helpless than a turtle on its back." He stopped, got out, picked up the turtle, and took it several yards into the woods. He got back into the car, saying nothing, and we resumed our trip.

You must be a lot like my dad, a really great guy.

Thank you again.

[slackmaster]

13. Damn it derby, sometimes I wish I was unemployed so I could be out in the sunshine too

Maybe combing the beach with a metal detector or something.

[Mimosa]

14. Wow, Derby. And a big *hug* n/t

[surrealAmerican]

15. Sweet story ...

... but don't turtles carry salmonella?

It was worth it for that moment of thanks.

[derby378]

26. I dunno, but I had a killer stomach ache today...

I'm more likely to chalk it up to something I ate. But at least that little guy made it across okay.

[Obamanaut]

16. The greatest page NEEDS a tale like this from time to time. Thanks. nt

[4_TN_TITANS]

17. Nice post...

When my previous job was eliminated a few years ago, the first thing I did after leaving was drive down to the river, sit and enjoy the nature as the sun went down. I'm lucky to have a job, but I do miss the time to stop and appreciate things more.

[elehhhhna]

18. I think Ginny's talking to you through nature.

Just sayin'.

[Curmudgeoness]

19. Thanks for an uplifting story. And best of luck finding work.

So sorry about your wife. Life sometimes kicks our butt, and still you care about deer and turtles. And thanks from the turtle. I have a little one in a room upstairs now getting ready to be released soon and I know just the look it gave you. That head turn and the eye looking up at you with curiousity. You are a good soul.

[Omaha Steve]

20. I work at a waste water treatment plant

A few weeks ago, a turtle had gotten into the first screen (filters out large items) and was dumped in a pile in the sunlight. One of the chiefs noticed the turtle by accident. It was a snapper about the size of my hand. He put the turtle in a cool bucket of water. About an hour later he released it next to the river water line. I was so happy. There are many people I know that would have just left the turtle in the pile.

K&R for Ginny.

[cognoscere]

22. Yes, they belong to the same group of assholes who go out of their

way to run turtles over. The same group who, in northern Wisconsin, kill porcupines because the porkers kill trees(should we kill loggers?); and coyotes because they kill deer - this last rationale usually comes from deer hunters.

[FirstLight]

21. right on

I am sorry for the losses, but grateful for your continuing appreciativeness and actions. beautifiul story, thanks

[Fire1]

23. Aw, derby! You ole softy!! The world needs more of you! n/t

[onehandle]

25. Good man. nt

[TheKentuckian]

27. Warmed my Grinch heart, bless you. Sorry for your heartache.