CLOSE ENCOWNTERS
In town I loved to go running early in the morning, but a woman running alone needs to take precautions. Cross the street if the hedges are tall. Run under the streetlight if there’s a figure walking in the shadows on the sidewalk. Head for the nearest porch if a car slows down. Other than that, it was a great way to start the day.
Running in the country has its own challenges. The road surface includes 6” ruts, fist-sized rocks, and slick mud. There are no shoulders. If a car comes, you can hope they have good manners or you can dive into a ditch full of rancid water. That aside, I decided to give it a shot.
The stars still filled the black morning sky as I ran to the end of the lane. I took in the fresh cold air and headed down the first long hill. I ran to the highway, about 1-1/2 miles, and turned around. There were no stalkers or hedge dwellers, and I was able to hold my breath while hurrying past a pungent pasture.
When I recovered my own breath, I settled back into a comfy pace and stayed on alert for any further cow encounters. That’s when a Red-tailed Hawk rose up out of the ditch screaming and flapping its powerful wings. I hit the gravel and covered my head.
The round, red edge of the sun came over the horizon, and a peachy, gray sky bloomed as I ran down the driveway.
I will take cow snorts and hawk screams over human marauders any day.
