Man, the last few days have be so awesome! It has been so nice to have my family home everyday. I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve. I have been getting a lot more time to spend with Anna and the kids since we are all here at the house.
Last week we went on a walk down in the woods one evening with the kids. The sun was starting to go down and I wanted to get back to the pasture and out of the woods before it got dark. To make a long story short, I found out one of my kids has sort of a “phobia” of the dark, or more specifically being out in the woods after dark, or yet even more specifically being lost in the woods after dark. No, we weren’t lost but I wasn’t going to tell them that.
Those of you that know me know that’s sometimes I have kinda a wired since of humor. Sometimes its dry, sometimes I joke with people and keep a straight face to intensify the awkwardness of them trying to figure out if I am joking or not. Sometime I get a little carried away with this...I know its a character flaw. Anyway, as “therapy” I took the one who was struggling with fear out tonight to do some predator calling. We left the truck at the cow pens and walked about ½ mile down to where we were going to hunt so as not to scare off the Black Panther we were trying to call up. And NO we were not hunting the type of black panther that stands outside voting stations with night sticks, we were hunting the elusive pantherus pardus a rare large feline that lives in east Texas and eats calves. We hunted for a while but didn’t see a panther, so we decided to make the ½ mile walk back to the truck before it got so dark we couldn’t find the truck. I “accidently” forgot to bring a flashlight. Remembering back to the problem he had at night in the dark I wanted to help the kid with his fear. When a horse has a fear problem we desensitize him by showing him the same thing over and over until he sees nothing bad is going to happen. I figure a long walk in the dark without a flashlight was a good start to ‘sacking out’ this kiddo (If you are not a horse person google “sacking out a horse”).
I knew it was going to be hard on him, so I thought I would help lighten the situation with some light joking. I had a little talk with him. Like I said I have a talent for joking with people and acting serious so that they don’t know whether I am joking or not, its kinda part of my irresistible charm. I have blanked out part of his name so you will not know who it is. Here is how the conversation started…
Me: ” Now C____, you know we have been calling predators and there are most like some in the area so I want you to stick close”
C___: “Yes Sir”
Me:” I have a favor”
C___:”Whats that dad?”(In a trembly voice)
Me:”You know that I am the provider of this family, and that your mom and sister look to me to take care of them right?”
C____: “Yes sir”
Me:” We’ll like I said it is quite possible a panther is in the area, and I just wanted to tell you that If he gets after us I want you to lay down and let him get you so I can make it back to the truck.
C____”WHAT!!! NO WAY! (He was trying to figure out if I was serious or joking)
Me: “No seriously, just think about it If I get ate how are the bills going to get paid…Look if you wont lay down and let him get you I am going to have to trip you so I can make a clean get away”
There was a long nervous pause….
To be continued
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