1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 1: Welcome to This Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trotlining and just in general country living. 3 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: my experiences in life lessons. This Country Life is presented 5 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: by Case Knives from the store More Studio on Meat 6 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best outdoor podcast that 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 1: airways have to offer. All right, friends, grab a chair 8 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: or drop that tailgate. I've got some stories to share. 9 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:45,840 Speaker 1: Two bucks, a broken bus in Jeremy's dad. Everyone has 10 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: a story, and every story deserves to be heard. I 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: truly believe that, and that's what prompted my initial invitation 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: to all of you to send your stories in Now. 13 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: Obviously I can't read them all on the show, but 14 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: I do eat all of them. Some are sent not 15 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: meaning to be broadcast, and some folks just want to 16 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: share them with me, and that tastes courage. On the 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: cinders part, I held the vast majority of the ones 18 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: I've told on here like they were items that I 19 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: could I could lose if I shared them. The value 20 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: I placed on those memories was what eventually made me 21 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: share them. And how could I be the only one 22 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: who felt that way, it turns out, I wasn't. I 23 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: wasn't the only one by a long shot. And it's 24 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: that time of year when folks gather around campfires were 25 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: new and old stories are shared and written. So, in 26 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: keeping with that tradition of occasionally turning the reins over 27 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: to my friends who gathered at our virtual fire on 28 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: a regular basis, this week, I'm giving you all the flow. 29 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy hearing these stories from our listeners 30 00:01:52,920 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: as much as I did written Here we go. Jake 31 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: Miller lives up in Butler, Ohio. He's one of a 32 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: handful of folks that do. Jake is sharing a crazy 33 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: deer hunt that took place just a little over two 34 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: years ago. He's reminded of it every time he looks 35 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: at the scar. That's right, Jake got a booboo from 36 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: that day. So, in Jake's words, in my voice, here's 37 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: how he got it. October the twenty sixth, twenty twenty three, 38 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: is a day in a hunt I won't soon forget. 39 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: A cold front had blown in, and of course I 40 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: was stuck at work. Around noon, the snow started and 41 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: my attention had completely left what I was getting paid 42 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: to do. And shifted to what I wanted to do, 43 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: which was to get home as soon as I could, 44 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: grab my gear and head to the woods. Snow in 45 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: October is rare in our part of Ohio, and there 46 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: was absolutely no way I was going to pass up 47 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: this opportunity. I kept watching the clock at minutes felt 48 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: like days, and finally three thirty hit and I was 49 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: out of there like a rocket. Luckily, the job site 50 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: was only twenty minutes from my house and not the 51 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: usual forty five. I pulled in the driveway and I'm 52 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: certain the engine wasn't completely off. By the time I 53 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: hit the garage, I ran around like a madman, trying 54 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: to get into my camera, grabbed my bowl, my climbing stand, 55 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: and all the stuff I needed for the hunt. I 56 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: gave a quick run by and gave my wife a 57 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: kiss and said goodbye to the kids. And I can 58 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: still remember hearing my oldest boy say good luck, Daddy, 59 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: get up biggening as I shut the door and headed 60 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: for the truck. I got to my spot in parked, 61 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: I threw everything on and by this time it was 62 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: around four point fifteen. The snow had stopped and everything 63 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: was quiet. I made the decision that I was just 64 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: going to grab my boat, my backpack, and my binoculars 65 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: and find a good spot to see that up on 66 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: the ground instead of making a rush decision to get 67 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: up in a tree. Slowed down and I crept my 68 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: way down the tree line is as quiet as I could. 69 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: It's a two hundred yard walk, so it took a 70 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: little time, but I was hunting the second that my 71 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: foot hit that field anyway, so it didn't bother me 72 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: to take my time. I finally got to the trail 73 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: I had cut the summer before, and slowly walked my path, 74 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: stopping every ten yards or so and glassing to be 75 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 1: sure I didn't kick any deer out. When something caught 76 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 1: my eye, I kept looking and finally realized it was 77 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: a white belly of a deer. I took a couple 78 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: more steps and realized that deer had what looked like 79 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: to be a nice rack game on. I had to 80 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: make some moves since there were some brier bushes and 81 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: tree shops between me and this deer. I crept around 82 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: without making a sound, pulled my binoctars up again and 83 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: saw something. It was a little funny. To my surprise, 84 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: it was two bucks locked together. I kept looking and 85 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: watching and didn't see any movement from either deer, so 86 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 1: I walked closer and closer, only realizing that they had 87 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: paracord wrapped up in their antlers, and that one of 88 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: the bucks was dead but the other was very much alive. 89 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: Oh boy, I had to come up with a plan quick. 90 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: I was trying to do the right thing and get 91 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: the two bucks separated, for they were both gonna be 92 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: dead now. In my hurry to get to my spot 93 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: that day, I left my skinning knife in my truck. 94 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: All I had with me was my pocket knife with 95 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: like a three inch blade. I set my bow, my backpacking, 96 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: my binoculars down before walking over and getting a better 97 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: look to see how I could separate them. I had 98 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: switched from hunter to rescuer, and by this time the 99 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: bigger buck had stood up and was a little discombobulated, 100 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: you could tell just by looking at him. I carefully 101 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: took my knife out and I started cutting away the 102 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: para cord, one strand after another. How it got there, 103 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: I have no idea, but it was a tangled mess. 104 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: And I finally got to the last strand and I 105 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: cut him free and started backing up, expecting he would 106 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: run off into the thicket. Then the buck, realizing he 107 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: was free, picked his head up and instead of going 108 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: into the thicket like I thought he would, he charged me. 109 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 1: His antlers hit me right below my waist and knocked 110 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: me over. He wasn't trying to get away. It seemed 111 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: like he was trying to finish what he'd started out 112 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: with the other buck. I grabbed his antlers and Gaiter 113 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: rolled into my right and frantically looked for anything I 114 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,799 Speaker 1: could find to protect myself. Well he tried to finish 115 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,039 Speaker 1: the fight. This wasn't going to end well if I 116 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: didn't do something quick. My hand landed on a large 117 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 1: limb that was laying on the ground, and I grabbed 118 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: it and I swung it like the bases were loaded, 119 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: and we were down three runs in the bottom of 120 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: the night. I connected with the side of his head 121 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: as hard as I could, and it was enough to 122 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: stop him long enough for me to grab my stuff 123 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: and back away. I stood and watched this. He stayed 124 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: in the same place for ten minutes, just staring at 125 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: me with his head tilted sideways like a dog does 126 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: when they hear a funny noise. By this time, there 127 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: was a half hour left to daylight, and I'd fought 128 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: off a buck, and the blood on my freshly torn 129 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: hunting pants was mine. I made the walk back to 130 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: the truck and I sat there for twenty minutes just 131 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: thinking and replaying everything in my head, as in that 132 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: really just happened. I ended up seeing that same buck 133 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,679 Speaker 1: the following year in the same woods, and I didn't 134 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: end up getting a show at him, but if I had, 135 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: that would have been a much better ending to the 136 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: Jake Miller versus Buck Norris saga. And according to the 137 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: Pride of Butler o'hioe, that's just how that happened. Well, Jake, 138 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: you exercised great restraint in not maneuvering around and poking 139 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: a hole in that bully of a buck, and I'm 140 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: proud of you. I'm reminded of an episode of Andy 141 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 1: Griffith when Barney Fife introduced me to Shakespeare's The Merchant 142 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: of Venice, when he said, the quality of mercy is 143 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven. 144 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: Nice job, Jake, Sorry about you, breches. Now. This next 145 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 1: one is from this Country Life listener Brent Taylor that 146 00:08:55,960 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 1: spelled b R A n d T. Brent grew up 147 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: in a place called Syracuse, Utah. And when he wasn't 148 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: bobbing around like a cork out in the Great Salt Lake, 149 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: he was busy growing up in the home his father 150 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 1: was raised in a generation before. And I loved that 151 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: kind of family legacy. Brandt's story contains zero animals or fish, 152 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: no bullets, arrows, or hooks, just a testament to the 153 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: resourcefulness of the country folks being thrust into situations where 154 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: they're raising came in handy. I think you'll like it, So, 155 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: with no further ado, here's Brandt's story in Brent's Boy. 156 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: My father's family moved to Syracuse in the nineteen sixties. 157 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: It's a small farmer community with a little over a 158 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,839 Speaker 1: thousand people, and by the time I was born, it 159 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: turned into eight thousand people, but it was still considered 160 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: a very rural place to live. You could drive down 161 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: the main roads and there were ditches on both sides 162 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,719 Speaker 1: with pheasants and deer, and the farmers fields. I have 163 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: fond memories of driving around our towns, my dad telling 164 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: me all the places he used to trap muskrats and 165 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: how he could grab a shotgun and go walking straight 166 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: from our house and shoot pheasants. Fast forward a few years, 167 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: and things had changed quite a bit in our little city, Syracuse. 168 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: Population had blossomed into almost thirty thousand folks, and fields 169 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: that used to grow hay in onions were now growing 170 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: houses at an unfathomable rate. I went to a brand 171 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: new high school with almost a thousand kids in my 172 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: graduating class. I worked part time at the local feed stoor, 173 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: and I watched as assault of the earth farmers and 174 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: ranchers were all slowly selling out and moving because they 175 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: couldn't afford the farm anymore. Or we're getting kicked out 176 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: because a subdivision was built too close to their farm, 177 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: and the hoa's complained about the smell or the dust. 178 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: It was like I was a country boy stuck going 179 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: to school with a bunch of city kids that didn't 180 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: know the difference between a cow and a bull. I 181 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: took shop and agro classes, but I was also in 182 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: the band, where I played the tuba. I enjoyed playing 183 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: in band through middle school and high school, but my 184 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: senior year I had mostly checked out, focusing my attention 185 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: on my intended career as a decent mechanic. One day, 186 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: my band teacher, mister Wyman. He stood up in class 187 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: and announced the annual band trip and that we would 188 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: be joined by the choir and the orchestra. Now, I 189 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: like to play the tuba, and I enjoyed band. I 190 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: did not really get along with most of the other 191 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: students that took those classes. This, accompanied with my feigning interest, 192 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: made me decided I wasn't going going to San Francisco. 193 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: And I had no desire to go visit that place, 194 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: and by not going, I would save myself six hundred 195 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: hard earned dollars of having to pay my own way. 196 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: A word got out that I wasn't planning to go. 197 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: In a couple of weeks later, mister Wayman stood in 198 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 1: front of the class and said, so I hear that 199 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: a certain tuba player he made direct and obvious eye 200 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:29,199 Speaker 1: contact with me, is not planning on going to our 201 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: trip to San Francisco. He continued with, that's all fine, 202 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: No one is required to go. But I figured that 203 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: I would let everyone know that if Brant does not 204 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: go on this trip, no one in the band will 205 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: be going on this trip. The class turned into an uproar, 206 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: and lots of faces stared accusingly at me. I could 207 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: feel the pressure and the feelings toward me, but I 208 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: wasn't going to break. I knew there was no way 209 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: he could keep the whole band from going. I was 210 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: gonna call his bluff. There was one thing I didn't 211 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: count on, and I'm sure mister Wyman was, and that 212 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 1: was my weakness towards a certain flute player with blond hair. 213 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,559 Speaker 1: After the class, she and I talked as we walked 214 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 1: to lunch. We were friends and we would often walk together, 215 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: but I knew she was interested in another boy, so 216 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 1: even though I liked her a lot, I didn't push 217 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: too hard. But I'm sure she knew about my feelings 218 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: toward her. That's when she laid it all on me, 219 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: telling me how I should go, that we could hang 220 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: out while in San Francisco and sit next to each 221 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: other on the bus, how it was going to be 222 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: a great time if I went well, I wouldn't be 223 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: the first fool that fell for a pair of fluttering eyelashes. 224 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: A few months later, I found myself sitting on an 225 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: empty bench near the front of the tour bus, one 226 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: of three buses taking all the music kids to California. 227 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: Then I see the blonde haired siren herself entering the bus, 228 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: and I watched as she walked right past me. A 229 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: little confused, I turned around to see her sitting next 230 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: to the boy she liked, only to remember then that 231 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: that buffoon was in the choir. My only saving grace 232 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: was that my oldest sister, my senior of seven years, 233 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: and one of my best friends, was on the trip 234 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: as a chaperone, and for that I'm very grateful. She 235 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: made the week more fun andbearable, and we were on 236 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: our way back home to Utah. My sister and I 237 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: had a good time, and we saw a lot of 238 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: cool things, and we were both ready to get back home. 239 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: The buses were scheduled to drive all through the night 240 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: and arrive in Utah the next day. Around ten o'clock 241 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: that night, we reached Donner's Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mouths, 242 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: and if you don't know the historical significance of that place, 243 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: you need to look it up. The weather had turned 244 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: ugly and there was snow flying in there when the 245 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: bus driver had to pull over to install the chains 246 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: on the tires. Since I was sitting close to the front. 247 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: He asked me if I could help, and I did. 248 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: The snow falling heavier all the while. As soon as 249 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: we were back on the road and headed up into 250 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: the mountains and into the worsening storm. We were about 251 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: halfway up when some kids started yelling from the back 252 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: that there was a loud noise and the grinding coming 253 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: from underneath the bus. I got out with the driver 254 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: and we headed toward the back driver's side of the bus. 255 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: And I could instantly see the problem, and so could heat. 256 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: The bus had two drive axles and a mud flap 257 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: in the middle. Chain on one of the tires had 258 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: broken and flipped up into the wheel well. Now, when 259 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: that happened, it caught the bracket that held the mud 260 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: flap between the two axles and it mangled it all 261 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: up tight into the wheelwell. Now there was a sharp 262 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: piece of angle ire and rubbing against one of the tires, 263 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: and we were stuck unless we wanted to risk popping 264 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: a tire. After looking at the situation, I knew what 265 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: I needed to do. Turned to the bus driver, I asked, 266 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: what kind of tools do you have on this bus? 267 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: He took me back inside and showed me the small 268 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: bag of tools he kept in there, and looking inside, 269 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: I thought, well, this is gonna be a lot of fun. 270 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: I then grabbed the baritone player to bring a flashlight, 271 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: and the vice principal he joined us. For the next hour, 272 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: I worked away with a pair of plyers and a 273 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: crescent range and a ball peen hammer so small a 274 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: little like it belonged in a dollhouse. It was freezing cold, 275 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: and every time a semi truck drove fast it would 276 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: spread us with ice and slush that was quickly piling 277 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: up on the road. I finally got the bracket unbolted 278 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: and was trying to pry out with a ty iron 279 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: that I found in a compartment under the bus. Fiberglass 280 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: fender was in the way, and in my haste to 281 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: get back inside the bus and warm up, I grabbed 282 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: a hold of it and yanked it off, allowing me 283 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: to get some better leverage. Finally we got back on 284 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: the bus victorious, and I was able to put on 285 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: some dry clothes. As I added to the bathroom at 286 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: the back end of the bus, some kids thanked me 287 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: and made jokes about if we had been stranded any longer, 288 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 1: we would have had to resort to the same measures 289 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: that the Donner party did back at eighteen forty six, 290 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: and we were going to start with the sophomores. Now 291 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 1: other kids didn't even seem to care, not realizing that 292 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: if we couldn't fix it, we'd have been stranded there 293 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: another eight to ten hours waiting on him to send 294 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 1: us another bus. Now, I appreciated the praise, but that's 295 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: not what I did it for. I simply saw a 296 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: need job that needed to get done, and I had 297 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: to know how to do it. I will always remember 298 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: that night and appreciate that I was there on that 299 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: bus and according to Brent Taylor, fixer of all things 300 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: from one end of the bus to the other, that's 301 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: just how that happened. Job well done, Bran. Those choirboys 302 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: may get the girls sometimes, but the tuba players always 303 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: steal the show. Choir boy giving me a break To 304 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: close out, I want to share this jewel from Jeremy Moody. 305 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: Jeremy's living it up over in Conway, Arkansas. Conway is 306 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: known as the city of Colleges, with three universities within 307 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: the friendly confines of its city limits. Plus Old Jeremy, 308 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: whose dad taught him and everyone who hears the story 309 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: a lesson than giving and the father's love and Jeremy's 310 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 1: words in my voice, here we go. This story takes 311 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: place in the mid nineteen nineties at a deer camp 312 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: in South Arkansas. My dad worked hard, real hard, providing 313 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: for his family. He was a full time law enforcement officer, 314 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: a part time painter, and an active reservist in the Army. 315 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: Dad stayed busy serving his community, but he always prioritized 316 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: time with his family. When the opportunity came along to 317 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: join a deer camp with some close friends, Dad secured 318 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: our spot and kick started my brother and I's passion 319 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,640 Speaker 1: for hunt. This dear camp was like many in the area. 320 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: There was no cookshack or bunk house. Instead, all the 321 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: members stayed in old camper trailers. It wasn't fancy, but 322 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: it was the only place my brother and I wanted 323 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 1: to be most of the year, especially during deer season 324 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 1: and growing up in a rural town in central Arkansas. 325 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: Every Friday afternoon during deer season you could count on 326 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 1: Dad to be in the school pickup line with our 327 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: trader loaded down and ready to head south. It was 328 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:10,640 Speaker 1: something we did every weekend pretty much without fail. This 329 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,479 Speaker 1: story is about my first deer, and on this cold, 330 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 1: over Embery morning, Dad and I chose to hunt a 331 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: homemade stand called the Oregon Trail. It was nothing more 332 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: than an old pallette nailed to the top of some 333 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: fourteen foot two before us, but it was in a 334 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: dynamite location along the edge of a young pine thicket well, 335 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: just enough room for two five gallon buckets to rest 336 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: semi cuffedly up top. Dad and I watched our respective directions. 337 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: Less than an hour into the hunt, I heard what 338 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: I was confident was a deer coming off the ridge 339 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 1: to my left. I knowed my Dad, who was on 340 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: the right side of me, and then shoulder to bar 341 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:57,719 Speaker 1: twenty gage Remden eleven hundred loaded with buckshot. Then the 342 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: most beautiful basket rack eight point stepped into view, and 343 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,919 Speaker 1: I don't remember the exact discussion that took place, but 344 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: I do remember firing that shotgun and watching that buck drop. Immediately, 345 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,680 Speaker 1: I began to hoop and holler, just like I'd seen 346 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: t K and Mike do, and they're questionably educational videos. 347 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: I was beyond ecstatic. I began sharing my excitement with 348 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 1: my hunting partner. I remember seeing him was a little 349 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 1: bit confused, kind of a confused look on his face. 350 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: Unbeknownst to the other, we both shot at that deer 351 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 1: at the same time. Dad convinced me that he must 352 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: have missed it with his two twenty three and I 353 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: must have been the one who killed it. We climbed 354 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 1: down to claim our trophy. We approached the buck. My 355 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: dad pointed to the single through and through hole right 356 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: through the deer's visals and said, good job, buddy, you 357 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 1: got him. I had a smile going from ear to ear, 358 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: and we loaded that buck up on our old ATV 359 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: and we headed toward the camp. I was still cheesing 360 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: when we pulled up to the skinning pole, my proud 361 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: dad right behind me. This was the moment I had 362 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: been waiting for, and everyone gathered around as I told 363 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: the story. I told how the buck slipped off the 364 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: ridge and then into my sights. I didn't leave out 365 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: the party, my dad telling me that he had shot 366 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 1: at the deer alongside me, but he reckoned that he 367 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: had missed. During this time, my dad was explaining to 368 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: my brother how the story would be told without my knowledge. 369 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: He was two and a half years older than I was, 370 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: he was pretty much a master hunter and had killed 371 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: his fair share of white tails. I don't know how 372 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: much it costs my dad to convince my brother to 373 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: go along with the story, but I reckon he paid it. 374 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: As we skinned that deer, that single bullet hole in 375 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 1: the vitals was plain as day, and Dad quickly stepped 376 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: up and said, see, son, it only took one of 377 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: those twenty gauge bucks to Pelas to take this old 378 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: deer down. And from that moment I was hooked. I 379 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: don't know exactly what it was that I finally realized 380 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: that single bullet hole in my first deer was the 381 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,959 Speaker 1: result of my dad's rifle this instead of my shotgun. 382 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: But to this day, when he tells that story, he 383 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: tells that story just like I told that story that day, 384 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: and he is smiling from ear to ear. For years, 385 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 1: I wondered why he would let me claim that kills 386 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: my own until I had my own kids. Now I know, 387 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,920 Speaker 1: and I hope this story brings a smile to others 388 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: like it does me. According to the Faulkner County Flash 389 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:55,400 Speaker 1: Jeremy Moody, that's just how that happened. Well, Jeremy o'powell. 390 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 1: I promise you that story brought a smile to my 391 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: face thinking about the day that I figured out how 392 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: much my dad loved me, and that was the day 393 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: that my first child was born. Then and only then 394 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: did I remotely have a clue. That's good stuff. That's 395 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: good stuff. It's Halloween, kids, while all you ghosts and 396 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: goblins are out pillaging the neighborhoods for candy. Remember the 397 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: dad tax will be paid after you go to bed. 398 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: You better hide the good stuff early until next week. 399 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: This is Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful.