Crunch, crunch....
The noise is heading toward Greg and his eyes open quickly to find the source. He sees Bob trudging toward him, so he sits up, trying to look awake, and he composes himself.
"Damn it," Greg complains, "we’ve been out for three hours and I haven’t seen any sign of a turkey." He is speaking to Bob.
"I hope Erick or Skinner is having better luck." Bob sits down on a stump to take a cigarette break. "I doubt it though, I haven’t heard a gun shot," he adds.
"Those two are so dumb, they probably don’t remember what a turkey looks like," Greg teases.
They laugh at their friends.
Greg sits down on a fallen log as he waits for Bob to get moving again.
"I think we should hit the theater after we’re done here. I noticed one by that little store we were at yesterday," Bob says, while he flips ashes from his cigarette.
"Hope there’s something good playing. A little town like this probably only plays PG movies," Greg says.
He watches his friend smoke that nasty thing. It's something he never understood. But he never complains when someone does, to each his own.
Bob puts the cigarette out and places the butt in his pocket.
"Are you ready? Let's go see if we can find the other idiots," Bob laughs.
"I’m with you fellers," Greg quotes a line from O Brother, Where Art Thou, his favorite movie. He stands up and stretches.
It only takes them about fifteen minutes to find Erick and Skinner. They see their friends bending over while picking something from the ground.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Greg asks, and Skinner turns around holding up something he couldn’t quite see at this distance.
"We've found maybe a pound of mushrooms!" Erick yells to his friends.
"No way," Bob's disbelieving, but he's excited over the prospect of having a mushroom fry. "I want to see them for myself." He begins walking toward his friend.
When they get closer to their buddies, Greg spots some mushroom by his feet.
"Shit! Look, Bob, they are finding them."
Bob looks down at what Greg is pointing to and sure enough, there are mushrooms.
They pick for another hour before calling it a day. They have more than enough for a good mushroom fry.
When they get to the campsite, they discuss going to the movies and immediately they decide to stay to fry up the mushrooms.
"Boy this is living it up!" Erick says, as he takes a big bite of the golden prizes.
* * *
"If we get everything done today, I might be able to hit the woods for a few hours in the morning," I tell Julie as I mop the floor.
She's cleaning the counter tops, making them so shiny.
"That would be great, what else do we need to finish?" Julie asks. She's smiling as she works.
"I guess not too much more, just wanted to make the salads up today and get the deserts ready. That will probably do it," I say, grateful that will be it because I'm getting tired now myself.
"Oh, I got to wake Dale, be right back." I suddenly realize how long it's been. He's already stirring when I reach the room, so I wave at him and go back to my work.
I reach in the cabinet to get the items for the desserts, then I put everything on the kitchen table, ready to start.
Julie has the makings for the salads sitting on the counter, cutting boards with knives lying in wait.
"Do you want to start on the salad or desserts first?" she asks.
"Doesn't matter to me," I answer.
"Let's start on the salad then, we have to stand to make it. When our backs get tired, we can rest while we work on the desserts. How's that sound?" she asks.
"Fine with me; let's get started. Do you want a drink, before we start? I have Diet Coke."
"Sounds good, a little caffeine to keep me going," she replies.
We have everything done in the next two hours; it’s now close to dinner time. Julie needs to get home and make some food (and probably to do yard work even though she never said it).
"Thanks for the help. I don’t know what I would do without you."
"Lay around in your own filth," she replies and giggles.
We smile at each other and say our goodbyes.
I finish up a few odds and ends that need tending. I make a simple dinner of mac n' cheese with hot dogs on the side, and then sneak a few tastes of tomorrow's desserts. Yummy!
I sit down on the chair across from Dale in the living room. My line of sight is not with the television from this angle. I pick up my yarn and start crocheting a few little critters for the children. They seem to get a big kick out of those animals I crochet. I've crocheted over two hundred different kinds, colors, and sizes. They are simple little things that bring joy to the small ones. So, I make them with love. The squirrels, snails, monkeys, and turtles are my favorites. I listen to the torture screams from the television, and when the screaming stops, the room glows red. I'm crocheting a pony to the sounds of murder.
"I better put the mower away, before it gets too dark outside," Dale says. He gets to his feet and puts on a light jacket, then looks my way.
"Don't change that channel, I'll be right back." He travels out the door to do his work.
I grab the remote and change the television to the weather channel.
"Tomorrow's forecast is coming up next, but first a few messages from our sponsors," the weather person announces.
I want to see what the weather will be like in the morning. We'll hunt for a few hours if it's not raining.
"High of seventy-five degrees, clear skies, and sunny. Enjoy this lovely spring day."
I return the television to Dale's channel, then gather up the yarn to put it away for another day.
"It's still nice out there," Dale says, upon returning.
"I know, I just watched the weather. It's going to be nice for a few days now."
"You going hunting in the morning?" he asks.
"Yes, I got everything done. We'll only be gone a few hours, then be back in plenty of time for the party," I reply.
"You and your sister are nuts! Take a rest every now and then."
I give him a kiss and smile, then head to bed.
Chapter 9
Celebration
After a good night's rest, I get up early to sneak in a little mushroom hunting before the guests arrive. Julie and I spend a few hours out in the beautiful morning air, doing what we do best.
"It's a little chilly this morning," Julie says.
"Not for long. It's going to be a warm and sunny," I tell her.
"I can't believe you and Dale have been married for forty years now, it seems like yesterday," Julie says.
"I know, but here we are, still doing the same thing we have for years. I guess time can change things and make us grow old, but we'll never be too old for mushroom hunting," I smile.
"I also know that Addy and Izzy are excited about tomorrow. Can you believe Addy is in Med. school now?" Julie boasts about her granddaughter.
"Our first doctor in the family!" I say just as proudly. "How's that Izzy doing in school?"
"Oh, great, and she's graduating in two weeks from high school. That will be another celebration."
Julie loves conversations about her granddaughters. She has one more granddaughter named Sophie. She's only thirteen and lives a good distance away from here, but we see her on holidays and special events.
We are now going home with our golden prizes to have a celebration in honor of forty years of dealing with the same loved one (he he, only kidding.)
* * *
It's early Saturday morning, and the boys are ready to hunt. Slacking off with the beer, but over eating on mushrooms, they got a good night's rest. They are ready to kill a turkey.
"What's for breakfast?" Erick asks.
Skinner starts laughing as he thinks about last night.
"That wasn't funny, what you did last night," Greg says, pissed.
"Yeah, yo
u almost made me puke," Bob adds.
"Well, you shouldn't have thrown us in that creek." Skinner says, still laughing.
"You two looked so funny after you bit down on that sandwich," Erick expresses.
"Well, from now on we make our own food. Got it!" Bob tells them.
"Awe, come on Bob, we was just joking," Erick says, grinning so wide his face might split.
"Let's just drop it," Greg says, "I want to get going."
"I think we need to scout in a different spot today." Bob is directing the group, the way he has done many times. "Let’s get going before the sun makes us sweat."
After loading up with all the supplies they need, they get in the vehicle to look for a good location. They are a group of boys in camouflage, hanging out the windows, having a good time. They spot a nice small area, but notice one car there, so they travel down maybe a half a mile away from the other people. Since it is a car, they figure the owners are probably mushroom hunters and the boys don’t want to hunt around them. The boys are now on the hunt.
* * *
We get in our car and notice a new big SUV parked about a half a mile away and we are hoping they stay where they are, because they are too close to the Black Woods. As we drive by, we notice the gun racks: turkey hunters. We look at each other with the same dreadful feeling we get anytime we see someone close to here. We just shake our heads.
We arrive at Julie's house and she steps from the car.
"I’ll be down about an hour early to help get the mushrooms ready to fry. See you then!" She waves to me as she walks away.
"See you, and thanks," I holler, and wave.
We have permanent smiles, as we are so proud of our morning hunt.
I steer my car toward home with excitement pumping through my veins. All the children will be here soon.
When I arrive home, I put the mushrooms on the counter, then head to the shower. The water is refreshing, along with the smell of green apple soap. I'm ready for our guests.
"Did you get the weed-eater working?" I ask Dale.
"No, I'll have Billy look at it today when he's here," he replies.
"Okay. You need to wash up before the guests arrive."
"I look good enough, don't smell too bad either," he says, then grins as he sniffs his armpits.
"Oh well, they're used to you. Are you excited about today?" I ask.
"Yep, now I want to watch my T.V." He sits back down for his daily routine.
"You're going to turn off that bloody T.V. when they get here."
It's time for the party and everyone will be here soon. The first guest to show is our son Andrew; he is the youngest of the four children. He is married to a loving woman and they have one child, a beautiful little girl. He is carrying a large cake with an old wedding photo of Dale and me, printed on the top. My eyes tear up and he smiles at me as he walks through the door.
I have to say all of our children turned out well with kind and loving spouses. Each and everyone loves to eat mushrooms, just like their mom and dad do.
I stand by the door to give each guest a big hug as they arrive. It is so great to see them all together. The house is packed; every room is filled with talk and laughter. I know it’s going to be the best day in a very long time.
Chris is outside cooking on the grill while Julie and I are frying mushrooms. Addy and Izzy are working on the rest of the food. The aroma in the kitchen is impressive and will probably linger for hours.
"I love you, Mom," Andrew walks up from behind to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Can I help with anything?"
"Yes, go entertain your father and try to change the T.V. channel. I swear your dad will never change." I smile at my son and give him a hug.
We have a feast displayed and I'm glad we do. There are so many guests here to enjoy the meal. After we eat, almost everyone is moaning and groaning with overstuffed bellies.
Some of us decide to play some games.
"Stop that cheating!" I say teasingly to one of my grandchildren.
"I'm not, Grandma. That's how you play 'Goldfish,'" she replies, looking puzzled from my insinuation.
"I know, baby, I just don't like to lose." I reach over to pat her on the head and mess up her hair.
"Okay, who wants to play again?" another grandchild asks.
We all say we do and the game continues.
Our son Bill and his wife Kelli are heading up a game of Twister. Bill is bending over his sister Patty, while she is stretching over Kelli. Some of the grandchildren watch and laugh, hoping they'll fall.
Our daughter Kelly is rounding up the little ones for story time. She loves to read to them while acting out the characters as she goes.
A few older grandsons have taken the 4-wheelers on a run over the old track we had built for our children. About six granddaughters are sitting formed in a circle, talking and giggling about boys. A normal family get-together when everyone’s having a good time.
I get up from playing Goldfish with a few of the children and look around the scene. I enjoy the moment and know I will always cherish this day. All my babies are grown; most of their babies are too. Time does fly as you grow older and if you get on the right plane, it can be the best flight of your life. As I am standing here, I know I'm on the right plane. I've always felt that you may not be able to control what happens to you in life, but you can control how you respond. This is something I've accomplished through my children. Without them, I never would have been on this flight. I love you all, I whisper to myself as the evening is ending. When each person leaves, I give them a hug, sadly watching them go.
It’s nine at night, and the last guest has left. We are excited as much as tired. The evening is now quiet. Most of the cleaning up has been done by this person or that person. I will do the rest in the morning. Right now, I'm sitting on the couch with Dale. As I look at him, I know this has been the best anniversary.
"I love you." I speak softly as I give him a kiss. I lay my head on his shoulder and watch some bloody T.V.
Chapter 10
The Hunt
Hunting in these woods looks more promising to the boys. They spot a big tom running as they enter.
"You and Erick go that way." Bob points south for Skinner and Erick, whispering as he speaks. "Me and Greg will go that way." He now points to the north.
The boys agree with a nod of their heads, they're not going to scare the turkey away this time.
Bam!
The noise startles Greg and it makes him jump slightly. He sees Bob fifty yards away, with his gun to his shoulder. He’s still looking down the sights with light smoke rising from the barrel. He slowly looks at Greg, shakes his head from side to side to indicate that he missed.
Erick and Skinner hear the gun fire in the distance. Skinner is tucked away behind a thick group of bushes while his friend is some seventy-five yards away, sitting against a tree.
Each boy is in their own world with their own thoughts as they wait for an unsuspecting turkey to strut by.
Bob moves from his spot, because he needs to relocate after firing his gun. He hides by another tree base. As he settles in to wait, he listens to the forest. A few birds are chirping close by, tree frogs making their unmistakable sound, shuffling of small animals… All to do now is wait, he thinks as he listens. He hopes he doesn't get spooked like yesterday. What is it about these woods? he wonders.
Greg is maybe now two hundred yards away from Bob, and he watches as his friend repositions. Greg also changes areas a little more south, hiding behind some damn briars. This location seems to have a lot more of those sticky things than most woods. He truly isn’t much of a hunting fan like his friends are. Oh, he always tags along pretending to enjoy it, all the while wishing he was someplace else. How much can someone take of just sitting and waiting? Not him.
Bam!
The noise doesn’t startle Greg this time; it is farther away. Hope Erick just shot Skinner or the other way around. Doesn't matter to me,
he thinks. He has a crafty grin on his face.
The last "bam" did scare Skinner. He stands up to look for Erick. When he locates him, he sees his friend is on the move. Must have gotten one, Skinner thinks as he sits back down. Now he really wants to shoot a turkey. Damn, my luck. I will be the only one who doesn’t. He is always short in the luck department. With a determined look on his chubby face, he watches, waits, and listens. All ready to hear that crack he heard yesterday. What was that thought for?
"You dumb ass," Erick mumbles under his breath, as he takes off after the turkey he just missed. He knows he didn’t shoot it, missed it, plain as can be. He doesn't want his friends to know, because he’s had it with the teasing for now. So he takes off after nothing. Walk around, look like you're on a chase, his mind tells him as he steps. Finally, he feels like he's walked enough, so he sits back down. If I just waited a few more seconds, I would have hit the damn bird. Shaking his head in disgust, he begins waiting and listening. A cold chill runs down his spine.
"What the hell?" Erick whispers.
The wind picks up slightly just before noon and Greg texts his friends to tell them to meet him at the SUV. His stomach is growling loudly enough to scare away any turkey. He walks along and thinks, it’s going to be a nice day. It feels around 68 or 69 degrees already. I wish I had gotten my shot. Oh well. He can see the vehicle sitting there looking so lonely, sunlight bouncing off the chrome. He strolls over to the truck and stands leaning against it as he waits for his friends. He scans the scene around him. He's enjoying this time with his group. But he's still having an uneasy feeling about the woods and he can't figure it out. He decides he's just hungry; his mind playing tricks on him, that's all.
Slowly each friend emerges from the woods like lost soldiers looking for survivors, their heads held down, each one empty-handed.
After they put the guns in place, they strip away some extra clothing layers. Each takes his normal seating arrangement in the vehicle. They are ready for lunch as they drive away.
"Where we headed?" Skinner asks Bob.
"Going back to camp to get a bite to eat, and then head back out," he says, as he lights a cigarette. "I think we ought to come back here."