|
|
|
The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
 |
Becoming a Mountain Man
Gary Kiser
Edison State Communications Student
I was all geared up. A pocket knife, flashlight, lighter, and a blanket
is all I needed to make it through the night. I had long planned to
sneak away after chores and stay at the creek. I knew that Mom would
worry when I didn’t show back up at dark. I didn’t care, because I knew
I would be fine. She would be so happy to see me in the morning that
she couldn’t stay mad.
I had already put my things all tied up inside my blanket in the bushes
at the end of the neighborhood earlier in the day. I was jittery with
excitement. Finally making it out on my own like all the stories that
were read to me as a kid about Daniel Boone and Davy Crocket. I was
going to be a mountain man at the ripe old age of seven. The
hundred-yard tree line was my unexplored wilderness and the small creek
was my Ohio River.
After finishing up the dishes I headed out past my brother and our
friends playing basketball without stopping. They were curious as to
what I was up to. They began shouting but I never stopped to listen. I
made it to the end of the blacktop, where I had my bedroll stashed, and
quickly gathered my things. I could see my friends walking behind me to
see where I was going. My mind went to the stories I heard about Daniel
Boone running from the Indians. So many times, he had narrowly escaped
capture by playing tricks and being cunning. A smile crept across my
face. I was now playing mountain man, even if my friends didn’t know
they were in on it.
I quickly ran to the tree line to get out of sight. I knew they would
have seen where I went into the woods, so I fixed the tall grass inside
the woods so they couldn’t see my trail. I heard a snort and was
alarmed. I had never heard anything like that before. I heard it again
and began to imagine grizzly bears and catamounts stalking me through
the forest. I stood still as the world fell silent. I exhaled a deep
breath without realizing it and a deer exploded from the creek not 10
feet away from me. I was caught in awe as she bounded away. I also just
had the biggest scare of my life.
I heard my friends coming and I needed a place to hide. I remembered
the tale of mountain men hiding in trunks of trees that had rotted in
the middle. I ran over to a pile of wood left to rot and started
crawling my way into it. Finally, I could see my friends in the woods.
I had to be quiet and still. They would never know I was there.
I could hear them saying “Where did he go?” They looked up in trees and
by the creek, they were looking everywhere I wasn’t it seemed.
Eventually they gave up and filtered out of the woods, not content to
spend a summer evening looking for me in the woods. I was happy I had
evaded the Indians just like Daniel Boone. I was so proud of myself!
I crawled from my hiding spot. I found a flat spot and piled up a bunch
of leaves to lie on. I gathered up an arm load of sticks. I began
carving on them with my pocket knife making little shavings I could
light for the fire. I started a little fire just as the crickets and
frogs started chirping for the night. The sun was almost gone, the
night was going to bring so much peace. It was becoming everything I
wanted it to be.
As soon as I wrapped myself in my blanket and cozied into my bed of
leaves, I heard my mother shout my name. “GARY SHANE, YOU GET OUT OF
THESE WOODS RIGHT NOW!” Playing mountain man was over. I wrapped up my
blanket, stomped out my fire, hung my head and began the march out of
the woods.
I had never seen mom so angry. Playing with knives, building a fire,
running away without so much as a good bye. My brother had told her
exactly what I had done. I never thought that my fun of hiding from
them earlier would lead to me getting caught.
Back home, in my warm bed I was still exuberant about my little
adventure. Mom had calmed down quickly, although I wasn’t going back to
the woods anytime soon. She made sure of that. The rest of the summer
was staying home after chores. As much as that wasn’t fun, I still got
to feel like Daniel Boone for just a moment.
|
|
|
|
