Friday, September 17, 2010

Laura, Wild Woman

All of what follows is hearsay and likely the lunatic imaginations of a woman pushed to the limits of raw life in a hunting camp. Daily she has alone protected the gear of her men. Strangers have driven into the recreational site wearing camouflage and flannel with 4x4's and guns. They stop, say hello, to this nubile young woman protected solely by her wits and her manly cockatoo dog Gilbert. These men then go on to another camp. She has been caught trying to bathe in the open out of a bucket by the tent with water boiled on a camp stove by forest where bears are daily sought by the men of her camp who claim to have actually seen them but not been able to shoot them because they move so fast. She carries a bear banger in her pocket at all times with her. Her only complaint, "I haven't washed my hair in a week." She reads her beauty magazine and woman's literature while Gilbert barks at strange noises. She has been left with a 12 gauge shot gun in case of bears.
Strangers in forestry uniforms have appeared out of nowhere, set up hoses and pumped water to put out a forest fire blazing in the hills above the camp. She isn't certain if she'll be burnt out and has no vehicle to escape with as all the vehicles are taken by the boys hunting. Now Gilbert, her security dog, has been moved over to hunting dog status and all the testosterone has left the camp. There is some peace as a result but at what cost.
Today we found her smiling to herself, dressed in pink as usual, pretty as a picture, in the pristine nature site. Dale, from Komar Towing has just come by and loaded Sonny's dead truck onto his flatbed. We've arrived as big bearded Dale is hauling aways the truck. There's been no time to apprise Laura of developments. Fortunately she hasn't opened up on Dale with the 12 gauge left for her protection. Gilbert hasn't torn off any legs despite all his training with squeaky toys.
Sonny and I having arranged for his truck to be towed to Don's Repair have returned. It's her idea that she stays at camp while I return with Sonny in case his truck can be fixed quickly and we can both drive vehicles back.
Luke had taken the honda and gone off in search of moose, bear, deer and grouse. He'd come back and told her there were two grouse in the tree at the entrance to the clearing.

"He showed me how to hold the 22 and shoot it. I shot one of the grouse. Gilbert thought it was just great and ran to get it. Luke said it was a clean shot. He shot the other and cleaned them." She then showed us the grouse in the cooler. Gilbert stood beside her clearing making it known they were 'his' grouse as well.

She looked so pretty in pink as she demurely told her tale. We'll be getting a motel tomorrow night. I think she'll do well with a nights sleep without Gilbert barking at the forest or me doing perimeter checks with the flashlight and 12 gauge and the forestry guys coming by to get more water to put out the nearby forest fire.











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