Someday you may be old, God willing.

[Grouse]

Dan Infalt

I knocked on the door and heard a shout from inside. "Come on in". The old man was in his chair, staring out the window like a dog that never gets out of his kennel. I walked over to the freezer and started putting packages of deer meat inside. I said "you want me to leave a pack thawing?" His eyes never left the window... He said "No, Jimmy probably has something planned". I sat next to the old hunter and stared at the trees in the park with him. I asked him some questions like "You eat all that bear meat I brought you? Jimmy taking good care of you? etc.. He would just mumble "yea", and never look away from the window.

 

Then he broke the silence after a few minutes of just staring and said, "Tell me about the hunt for that buck, He listened intently, but still never made eye contact. His eyes got glassy, as if he was about to shed a tear. He interrupted me and said, "You know, I was quite the hunter in my day". I said "I know"... He finally turned to me with a sad distressed look on his face and stared right into my eyes and said "Boy, you don't know how good you got it, The days go fast at your age, and you think you have forever. A man only has so many years in his prime. Don't ever waste a day... Not even one... I know you would rather get out in the woods than spend your time with an old cripple, get out of here, and go have some fun.

 

He turned back to the window and never said goodbye, and never thanked me... He meant well. He was just lost in whatever he was seeing out that window. His message came loud and clear when I got the call from Jimmy. That was the last time I saw the old man. My old friend's message still echo's in my mind... There comes a point in life where you realize the size of the buck will never equal the size of the adventure. One day your whole life might revolve around staring out a window remembering those adventures... Make sure you have a few to remember.