Friday, August 28, 2009

Runs With Wolf

It's been a busy week here in Pure Florida. School began Monday, so I'm back at work, the days are hectic and flow quickly from start to finish ... no dead time in teaching. That is something about teaching that I've liked from the start, over 20 years ago. Swine Flu is spreading through our school like ripples in a pond, so Mrs. FC is incredibly busy since she is in charge of saving the county from epidemics like this one. We had one confirmed case on the first day and each day since has seen more kiddies going home with the symptoms.

It's been a rainy week too, with daily downpours off the Gulf of Florida. Wonderful sheets of rain beginning like clock work at quittin' time. Since I get off work first, (Jr has football practice till 6pm), I am usually the one to dash home and rescue Bear ... and cook supper.
Two chores I love doing, by the way.

Yesterday, I left a little earlier than usual, which means I didn't stay and work a few hours after quitting time. On the way home, in a driving rain, I looped into Devil's Hammock to see if I could grab you guys a photo of some critter moving in the rain.

Turns out it was raining a little too hard for that to happen, but use your imagination and picture a big 6 point buck in velvet bursting out of the willows and running in front of the JEEP for a few seconds before bursting back into the willows.
Yup, I missed that picture.

I didn't stay long, because Bear was home with his legs crossed by now, wondering if he should chew up the couch or wait a few more minutes for his relief to come home.

Arriving at the house in a driving rain, it was clear that I was going to get soaked just walking from JEEP to porch. On top of that, Bear needed his walk, so a good soaking was unavoidable.
For the briefest of moments, I grumbled to myself about this fact, ... poor me. I'm gonna have to stand around in the rain while he sniffs every blade of grass and urinates on 9 out of 10 trees we pass.

By now I was on the porch, dripping wet as I had predicted. As I put the key in the lock, with Bear barking frantically from the other side of the door, I had an epiphany.

Opening the door, I walked past the frantic, barking, leaping Labrador and straight into my room. I shed my clothes, tossing on only a pair of shorts and some old sneakers, and then Mr. Frantic and I went out into the rain.

I was already wet, gonna get wetter, so I might as well enjoy it.

So we ran.
In the rain.
Not just any rain, heavy, tropical, sheets of rain.
We ran off the porch leaping past the steps.
We ran down the driveway ... he only stopped once to pee!
We ran through the woods to the pond, around and around the growing pond, through the water, up the slope and into the woods again.
We ran through spider webs (eeeek!).
Jumped over logs and lept across meteor craters (wink!).
I should have been tired and winded ... was it the rain?
Was I growling? Yes, I think I was, now that I look back on it.
We spooked the cottontail ... and gave chase in the rain.
It ducked into a gopher burrow. Good thing... I think if we had caught it we would have killed and eaten it on the spot.
We were a pack.
Finally he felt nature calling in a different way and stopped to take care of business. (No, I did not)
Standing there, waiting for Bear to finish, I noticed that the rain had weighed down the wild grape vines so that what was usually out of reach was now reachable.
I stuffed whole handfuls of rain washed grapes in my mouth and then we were off again.
Running.
Running with a wolf.
Running like a wolf.
Feeling pretty damn primal.
Today, I'll be in my classroom in professionally nerdy clothes... acting pretty civilized, but yesterday ...

... yesterday I was a wolf in the rain.

28 comments:

Pablo said...

Primal PF, Feral FC.

Dani said...

Ack! We're livin' in fear over that swine flu! Things like that and a weak immune system from the MD spells DANGER for me. *shudder* *shudder*

Thunder said...

Just for the record the H1N1 (or HiNi) flu outbreack is considered a Pandemic! ;-)

Do I sense a book of fictional short stories in the future? ;-)

Doug Taron said...

Beautifully evocative writing- but I'm not sure I'd tag it with 'The Boy Ain't Right." Sounds very right to me.

Sayre said...

I love being wild with my animals! Running with the dogs, laying about with the cats... Very basic.

I work at the *ahem* other university and they're looking at 25-50% absenteeism with this stuff at any given time. It hasn't started yet (only one case so far), but it's getting cranked up. Hand sanitizers and wipes decorate every room!

Unknown said...

Aww! Sounds like sooo much fun! Love you and Bearsy both!

MamaHen said...

Hhhmmm, it's raining cats and dogs here today...I have no neighbors within sight...wouldn't be the first time... heehee!

robin andrea said...

Sounds like a wild, wet, wonderful running adventure.

roger said...

"Today, I'll be in my classroom in professionally nerdy clothes... acting pretty civilized,"

a wolf in sheep's clothing.

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

I just want to say that I've been reading your blog for over 3 years now (wow!), and I don't think I've ever read a better post...And there's been a lot of good ones. I'm no literary critic (God forbid,) but this post was so vivid I could just see, hear, and feel everything as it happened. I feel like it was one of those spontaneous experiences that stick with us a lifetime...Those little things that really make our lives truly happy, you know?
I'm sure Bear will remember it for a long time, too.

swamp4me said...

Wild is good.

kathy a. said...

singin' in the rain, wolf style! seriously, it's almost a musical waiting to be scored and for lyrics.

Val said...

You are such a good "dog dad", and just a great all around human too :) Really enjoyed reading about your romp in the rain with Bear. Envious of it really.

Cathy S. said...

Great imagery.

lisa said...

You are so good with the words! Does bear take forever and a day to decide where he is going to do his business? My lab has to have the perfect spot!!!

Deb said...

Wonderfully written. We all could use more of that wolf in the rain medicine.

Sharon said...

THIS was some GOOD writing :)

LauraHinNJ said...

Thanks for the chuckle you wild man!

;-)

SophieMae said...

This is definitely the best blog post I've read in a coon's age. It's been far too long since I romped in the rain. Our rain of late has been accompanied by too much lightning. Maybe I'll wash the cars tomorrow. 8-]

LaDivaCucina said...

Nothing beats a good ol' Florida downpour....it's strong, constant and the drops are huge and warm! Such a free feeling to get wet cuz you can! Yay!

Miz S said...

That made me feel less careworn for a minute or two. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I was out in the rain the other day. Nice soft rain. Then the thunder and lightning came. Good post!

Patti

R.Powers said...

Pablo,
Feral FC ... heehee

Dani,
Thank you. I take things too lightly sometimes. Next time I'm tempted to say the swine flu is "not that big a deal", I'll think of you and not put my foot in my mouth.
Stay safe.


Dave,
Alright smarty pants. Just for the record outbreak is spelled o-u-t-b-r-e-a-k! :)

Doug,
Thanks. It sure felt right.

Sayre,
Pick your pack and run! We are doing the same thing with sanitzers, etc.

Emma,
You would have loved it. Love you!!!

Annie,
... and they thought my imagery was interesting ...

Robin,
It was and I'm not a real runner with a routine. I just go.

roger,
I love that. That is perfect.

HT,
3 years! Dang! Thanks for the kind words. You may be a little weather partial though, as a future Meteorologist!

Swampy,
Yes, it is!

Kathy A,
Howling in the rain? I'm no Gene Kelly.


Val,
Thanks. Being a good dog dad is a very nice compliment :)


Cathy S,
Thanks. Nice to not hide behind pretty pictures for a change.


Lisa,
Thanks! Forever and two days!! I think his bladder must run from his tail to his nose.


Deb,
Best stress reliever ... well, maybe second best :)
Thanks for the kind words. I need to work on imagery for my project.


Sharon,
Thank you! You just reminded me I think I need to update my link to you.


Laurahinnj,
You're welcome .... AARRRROOOOOOOOO!


Sophie,
The absence of lightning was what made this possible. Unlike REAL wolves, I don't run in lightning storms.

LaDiva,
I agree wholeheartedly. I think we were made to be raindrenched from time to time.


Miz S,
Good, 'cause you deserve a lift. Hope the kiddies are nice to you next week.
Just think of the huge paycheck!!
:)

Patti,
Thanks! I retreat too when the lightning signals it's arrival.

S N B said...

What a fun read! Thanks for the imagery. No pictures needed. Yeah, this was an exhausting first week back. It was a relief to see that even teachers much younger than I were worn out by Thursday.

cinbad122 said...

So all I got out this post....Urinate is a funny word! :)

Caroline said...

Nice thing about living in the country...nobody calls the cops when the neighbors turn into werewolves.
Funny though, full moon isn't for another week. :o)

R.Powers said...

SNB,
Thanks! Woooo.. I was pooped too.

Cindy,
What? Ur-a-nut!

Caroline,
One of the benefits of country living. It's okay to be Lycan. Can't wait for the full moon.

jean said...

If you're going to get wet, you might as well enjoy it. School doesn't start here till next Wednesday. Since my son had the Swine Flu last June, I'm hoping we'll escape it this year.