I Love It When That Happens...

This was just one of those serendipitous “good feeling” kind of things that happened on my walk this past Wednesday (3/11/12).  I was doing my old route, which passes a private drive to “Oak Forest Island”.  Neighborhood scuttlebutt has it that this is where the families live who sold the land to Centex for our development.  I’ve walked by the entrance many times and am always curious as to what lies down that narrow, private drive through the forest.   So, Wednesday I’m on my way back home and the drive is completely blocked by two trucks.  A younger man has gotten out of his truck and is talking to an older man in a green truck.  As I approach, the man in the truck says, “Are you going to join our meeting”?

I say, “It looks like you guys have it under control…..and (judging from the dog in the front seat and the arrow in the hand of the younger man) I think you’re talkin’ huntin’ and I’m not sure I’d have a lot to offer…..  but, my guess is that you’re going turkey hunting with bow and arrow!”

As it turns out, they were talking about hunting and the younger man had made the arrow he was holding.  In hindsight, I wish I’d paid more attention as it was an interesting piece of kit, with a real arrowhead at the tip and turkey feathers at the end.  I’ve only seen manufactured arrows, with plastic being the primary component, so I really wish I had given a better look at this one.  The older man said that he hunted with arrows, to which I said it made things a bit fairer (though I was thinking bow and arrow, not crossbow!).  Anyway….

He said, “Where do you live?”

I said, “Waterford Drive.” 

He said, “You’re a good ways from home”, which gave me a chance to tell him about my daily walk and all of the wildlife I’ve spotted (with the most recent being turkeys…thus the turkey hunting remark.)  He asked if I’d spotted any coyotes, which I hadn’t…but he had.

So I said, “Where?  Down there?  Do you live down there?”, pointing to the private road.  He said that he did and I told him that I’d wanted to walk down there, but it was posted as “private”…….and I didn’t want to be shot with an arrow!!

And he said, “You’d be welcome to walk down there anytime.  In fact, I’ve been thinking of having an open house (am not sure where that came from…but I said it was a good idea!). He then said, “If anyone stops you, just tell them that the old guy in the green truck said it would be okay!”

I thanked him for the offer and assured him I would take him up on it…..and then continued my walk. So, one day soon I’m going to venture down the narrow, private drive through the forest to Oak Forest Island.

I loved that little exchange.  It was friendly, jovial and just a good chat with a total stranger, ending with permission to explore a new area.  I love it when that happens!