One of my absolute favorite things about living here is that I can step outside any time and almost immediately find myself in endless expanses of nothingness. Yesterday was no exception. As I walked and ran briskly in my snowshoes, I concentrated on my uncertain footing and the energetic beat of M.I.A. blasting into my earphones, every so often pausing to admire the fiery views of the setting sun. As the sunlight deteriorated, I decided to turn back for home so I found my way back to the road that I knew I could safely follow home, even in the dark.
As I labored along in the below zero temperatures I felt both the sweat pouring down my back and ice accumulating on my eyelashes. As I approached the T intersection in the road, something darted out about 5 yards in front of me. I knew right away that it was not a fox, and it was too big to be a coyote. It was a gray wolf, strangely solo, staring back at me. When he got about 15 yards from me he stopped and monitored me closely with what felt like all of his senses. I wondered if he could feel my fear or hear my heart pounding outside of my chest. Irrationally, I imagined his mouth watering at the sight and smell of my sealskin and beaver laden hat. In my mind I know that wolves take almost no interest in people, but somewhere in the back of it I imagined this worse case scenario unfolding. So, on this deserted road, just for good measure, I repeated in my mind, please God, don't let me get eaten, Please God, don't let me get eaten. After I got a good distance away, and a little way up the gradual hill of the road I turned back only to see that he had returned to our original meeting place at the intersection where he now curiously watched me continue to the village. The next time I turned back around, he was gone.
Natives in the village always encourage me to carry a gun. I always kind of scoff at the idea, thinking that I'd be less safe with a gun, than without. For a brief moment though, I may have considered the idea of packing heat, or learning how to pack heat. Just incase this worse case scenario were ever to actually unfold.
The fiery sunsets that never get old
4 comments:
Oh my! Instead of packing heat, maybe pack the corn nuts, then if he gets too close, you can throw him a few corn nuts to munch on - allowing you enough time to escape his path. No one can refuse corn nuts. It's true. And, in the event you don't see a fox or bear or something like that, you have a nice snack for yourself. And, you don't run the risk of shooting your own foot off. It's the best solution.
i love the corn nut idea, Sara. She's brilliant, huh? Now, don't kick my ass for saying this, but corn nuts are not so great that a bear is going to calmy munch on as you snow shoe away!!
Good luck Lida, and don't shoot your foot off.
Beautiful pictures! It almost makes me want to be in the freezing cold too!
XOXOXOX
Thank you for the surreal pictures. My daughter and I check for updates often. Each addition is a new discussion between us.
Yeah. Corn nuts. Great Idea. When they can't find the rest of you after the bear attack they will just put what they CAN find, a pristine bag of corn nuts and mauled seal hat, in your coffin instead.
A gun is always the answer. I would guess some sort of giant revolver. Better ask Palin for recommendations.
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