Shepherd's First Winter; Crunches in The Snow, Episode 15

This is the fifteenth episode of the novel Shepherd's First Winter. It is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle format. 

Crunches in the Snow

One can not escape the beauty of the cold, frost, frozen mist, and snow. It is like a still photograph that can be examined without interruption or movement. It can be studied and contemplated. Thoughts and concepts can ease into the mind that has no chance anywhere else.The strange dances of the northern lights are like music with no sound. They conjure the imagination with awe. It is a gift from God.

On a cold still night, Shepherd and Pal ventured 100 yards into the plain before the cabin and watched the spectacle. Shepherd was near breathless. Pal was curious and sniffed toward the sky.

A sound, a terrible sound came from afar, from the far side of the plain in the trees; from the north. It was like no other creature heard by Shepherd before.

Pal looked to the distant trees. His ears perked and his eyes were like arrows piercing and shooting into the dark.

The scope was on the rifle and Shepherd brought it to his shoulder and scanned the woods. Something large in the shape of a man darted from tree to tree working its way closer to where the plain begins.

“Pal,” Shepherd said. “House!”

Pal leaped through the snow to the house with Shepherd struggling behind him. Pal waited on the porch for Shepherd, breathing heavily. Shepherd strained, looking at the trees on the other side of the plain of snow. He again hoisted the rifle to his shoulder and scanned the trees through the scope.

“Our visitor seems to have taken his leave,” Shepherd said.

Pal went to the door and ran his paw against it. He barked as if to command Shepherd into the cabin.

Shepherd opened the door. “Go in, Pal.”

Pal stood motionless.

“I’ll be in, in a minute, Pal,” Shepherd assured.

Pal moved to the steps of the porch and continued the vigil.

Shepherd stood by Pal’s side. “What do you think, Pal?”

As if he heard, Pal continued his straightforward vigil. He stretched out his head and sniffed.

“What is it?” Shepherd said.

Pal growled low and deep and moved to the door. Shepherd opened the door, walked in, and Pal followed.

Pal slowly moved to the fireplace, grabbed his blanket, and dragged it to about five feet in front of the door. He looked at Shepherd and laid on his stomach with his head nearest the door. Shepherd dragged his chair around to face the door. He sat with his rifle in his lap.

After an hour Pal’s ears perked and his head rose. Shepherd cautiously moved closer to the door and held his ear against it. He heard the crunch of footsteps in the snow.

There was silence. Shepherd felt his heart pound and the blood pulsating through his veins.

Pal growled quiet and low.

“Quiet,” Shepherd said.

Pal relaxed.

Shepherd heard the crunch of footsteps in the snow again, louder and louder. He slowly wrapped his hands around the door handle. He quickly pulled it down and flung open the door. His eyes were wide and his muscles tensed and ready. He jammed the rifle’s butt into his shoulder and took a brave step onto the porch. His rifle was aimed at a large dark mass with a frightened face.

 

Morning Coffee: Episode 4

Mornin’ to ya! I like my coffee black and strong. 

I enjoy talking to Larry, my brother-in-law. He’s about three or four years older than me. We lived on the same side of town when he went to junior high and I was still in elementary. 

We talked about some of the old gang-type of stuff; the guys we hung out with and mutually knew. We tend to romanticize the good old days. This is how one conversation went:

“Our end of town had a great bunch of kids,” I said.

“Sure did,” Larry said. 

“Never got into any serious trouble,” I said. 

“Just kids' stuff,” Larry agreed. 

“Do you remember Louie?” I said.

“Doesn’t ring a bell,” Larry said.

“Lived on High Street and ran around with Crazy Harold,” I said.

“Oh yeah,” Larry said, “he was always shoplifting. When he got out of school he held up a gas station with a water pistol. Made no difference. He got sentenced for five, but out in three. Going to prison taught him a lesson. Next time he used a real pistol.”

“I didn’t know that,” I said. “What about Crazy Harold? Whatever happened to him?”

“He’s all crippled up now,” Larry said. “He got caught with his neighbor’s wife and tried to escape by jumping out the second story. They think he would have been fine with the injuries from the jump but the neighbor got hold of him. He limps and has a half smile all the time. It’s kinda creepy.”

“Do remember Terry, the kid everybody was afraid of?” I said.

“Yeah, whatever happened to him?” Larry said. “I heard there was something weird that happened to him.”

“Found his body in Texas,” I said. “He was bringing drugs up from the El Paso. And sold half of them before he got back. They found part of him in Arkansas and the rest of him in Kentucky.”

“Too bad,” Larry said. “Do remember Scotty and Green Teeth.”

“Who could forget those two,” I said.

“One day we was sitting at the pump house at the reservoir,” Larry said. “Those two got to arguing over a cigarette. Next thing you know Green Teeth has a knife and starts chasing Scotty around the reservoir. Green Teeth was a good fifty yards behind but gaining. It’s a good mile and half around. Green Teeth stops to get his breath and smoke a cigarette. Scotty sees this and does the same thing. When they finished their cigarettes, the chase started again. By the time they got back to pump house, Scotty had a nasty gash on his arm and they was talking like they were best of friends.”

“Remember Scotty’s brother?” I said.

“Geez,” Larry said, “he held up a bar. Shot and killed the bartender. All hopped up on drugs. He did fifteen years and came out a preacher. But, he still does drugs.”

“Yeah,” I said, “that ole east end gang, great bunch of kids.”

Then we looked at each other, bewildered. 

“They were all psychopaths,” Larry said.

“How’d we turn out so good?” I shook my head.

“We ain’t done yet,” Larry said.

Morning Coffee; Episode 3

Mornin’ to ya! I like my coffee black and strong. 

I shop at a Walmart about two and a quarter miles from my home. It’s convenient. However, my experience at that Walmart is anything but convenient. 

There is more than one inconvenience. I will just share one now, and more later.

I used the ‘convenient’ self-checkout. The plastic bags always stick together at the tabs. I’m sorry, I said only one inconvenience.  

I ran all my items through the scanner, placed my sacked items back in the cart, paid, and proceeded to leave. That’s when it happened; before exiting the store a woman built like Dick Butkus stopped me on the way out and wanted to see my slip. AT WALMART!

“Who are you?” I asked. 

“Walmart security. If I could just check your slip, please.”

I wasn’t about to mess with her. (Dick Butkus) I handed Dick the slip.

She noticed an item that had fallen from a bag—Imodium AD. She picked it up and looked at me as if to say, ‘Does he look like the kind of guy who needs Imodium AD?’

She looked over the slip a second time.

“I’m sure I scanned it,” I said.

And she looked at me over the tops of her glasses as if to say, ‘Sure, Pal, that’s what they all say.’

At last, she found it, forced a smile, and handed the slip back. 

I stood for a moment. She already had me where she wanted me, complete compliance. 

“Can I go now?” I snapped out of her totalitarian clutches. 

She nodded. 

I thought while walking to the car, ‘Really, Imodium AD?”

Something to think about. 

Morning Coffee; Episode 2

Mornin’ to ya! I like my coffee black and strong. 

It is sometimes interesting how a little tidbit of life or a seemingly small event suddenly pops up in our thoughts. Maybe it’s something you haven’t thought about in years. At times, it is something you thought was buried. I sometimes wonder if those are watershed moments in developing a portion of our personality or future decision-making predictors. 

Likely, we all recall the embarrassing moments. And the self-examination that occurs after it. “That’s the last time I’ll raise my hand.” With myself, I’ve never learned that lesson. I’m still raising my hand and too often; feeling like a fool afterward. However, the truth frequently is that we are seldom fools. Our expectations are so grandiose that anything less appears devastating. 

Morning Coffee; Episode 1

Morning Coffee; Episode 1

Mornin’ to ya! I like my coffee black and strong. 

It was somewhat interesting Mark Zuckerberg changed Meta’s censorship policy—to conform with the changing times. 

Facebook has become the 21st century over-the-fence neighbor to neighbor conversation venue. No one puts much stalk in the media anymore. It is born out by the facts—presented by the media.

People get twisted, perverted, biased, and misleading news from the media. Then they talk about it to others. It becomes more twisted, perverted, biased, and misleading. Who knows, about the third or fourth time it’s discussed, it might more closely resemble the truth!

Who does one believe, the lying media or their lying neighbors? Okay, lying is a little strong; misleading. 

Somethin’ to think about. 

Shepherd's First Winter; Episode 14, The Wolf and Dignity

This is the fourteenth episode of the novel Shepherd's First Winter. It is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle format. 

The Wolf and Dignity 

The cold settled in like a being trapped in a cold steel vault. Nothing moves. Shepherd heard the sound of his heartbeat, bones in his vertebrae crack, and joints grind when he moved. The sound of snow falling from the branch of a tree and onto the roof of the cabin sounded like a massive avalanche.

There were times outside he sat on the stump used to split his firewood and listened to nothing. Occasionally the sound of wolves in the distance broke the monotony of nothing. The screech of an owl and the cry of a rabbit signaled the brutality of the abhorrence of the cold in the wilderness.

Pal occasionally ventured into the woods and quickly returned. He was growing and resisting the spirit to wander. Long ago the spirit to wander had been bred from him. He needed Shepherd and Shepherd needed him.

There were times when Pal watched over the camp like a loyal sentinel.

“You don’t know it, little fellow,” Shepherd said to Pal, “but you are eager for your first kill. You want to prove your worth and loyalty. It will come, but until then enjoy your puppyhood.”

Shepherd tossed a stick. “Fetch!” And Pal retrieved the stick.

“Good dog, you are a most excellent dog.”

There was a noise in the woods just to the north of where Shepherd split the wood: a peculiar sound. Shepherd and Pal looked hard into the woods. And through the trees, a timber wolf appeared. He moved cautiously, low, and snarled. Pal, about a third less the size of the wolf, assumed the same posture. They moved closer.

“You brave little pup,” Shepherd said to himself, “You will not back down. He will chew you up.”

Pal moved back as if to say, ‘Don’t come any further or pay the consequences.’

The wolf looked up at Shepherd.

Shepherd slowly brought the rifle to his shoulder and took aim.

The wolf backed down and trotted back into the trees.

Pal charged forward and barked at the retreat.

“Pal! Come here. Leave him with some dignity.”

Shepherd's First Winter; Episode 13, Animal Instinct

This is the thirteenth episode of the novel Shepherd's First Winter. It is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle format. 

Animal Instinct

There are nights that blow so cold and strong trees cry out and snap. There are nights so dark that they extinguish any light. That is the north. That is the land of the lost. People wander until there is nothing.

“Only demons come out on nights like these,” Shepherd said to Pal.

Pal was lying in front of the fireplace and lifted his head as if agreeing.

“You know that don’t you boy?” Shepherd said staring into the embers. “It is instinctively etched into your mind and it is dialed up when you feel danger.”

Pal whimpered.

“It’s cold and lonely,” Shepherd said. “New York is teaming right now. It’s the city that never sleeps. Did you know that?”

Pal laid his head between his two front paws.

“Are you lonely as I am, Pal? Can you live a life of solitude? Do you need me?”

Pal’s eyes shifted from side to side. It reminded Shepherd of the way he felt when his father arrived home drunk. Nothing was good, nothing was right, and nothing was satisfied. It was best not to add fuel to his fury; just sit, wait, and wonder what would set him off.

“Don’t worry, Pal,” Shepherd smiled kindly. “I am not of that sort. I turn to drink for good times. I left my misery in New York… along with the good times.”

“Pal!” Shepherd said. “Knife!”

Pal jumped on all fours. He dashed to the dining room table, pulled a chair out with his teeth, hopped on it, grabbed a knife, and brought it to Shepherd.

“You are going to be a magnificent dog,” Shepherd said.

“Back!” Shepherd commanded.

Pal grabbed the knife and returned it to the table.

“You could kick Lassie’s ass,” Shepherd said. “Lay down!”

Pal returned to the front of the fire and lay down.

“Stay!” Shepherd said. “I’ll get you a treat.”

Shepherd rose out of his chair and walked to the kitchen. He sliced a piece of moose. His eyes roved past the bottle of whiskey. All that was gone from the bottle was what he and Daniel had. “Now is the time,” he thought. He reached for a glass and sat it on the counter. He slowly grabbed the bottle and sat it next to the glass. “Now is the especially good time.”

He left the kitchen and added three logs to the fire. “Enough to cover a good drunk.”

He walked back to the kitchen. He looked at Pal. “Pal, it’s going to get pretty funky in here in a while.”

Worry cast on Pal’s face but held his position before the fire.

Shepherd smiled at the bottle and glass.

There was a tug on his sleeve. He looked down. Pal looked worried.

“I told you to stay,” Shepherd said.

Pal seemed resolute in staying next to Shepherd.

Shepherd reached for the bottle. Pal tugged at his sleeve again.

“It’s okay, boy, I’m putting it back unless you want a drink.”

Pal returned to his place in front of the fire. Shepherd brought a slice of moose and handed it to Pal. He took it with gratitude.

Shepherd returned to his chair. “That’s one trick I never taught. Instinct is an incredible thing.”

Shpherd's First Winter: Episode 12, No!

This is the twelfth episode of the novel Shepherd's First Winter. It is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle format. 

No!

One day Shepherd was preparing a moose roast that he planned to use several different ways once it was cooked. The odor of freshly baked bread and apple pie filled the cabin and likely the entire valley. Pal pranced. He was excited.

“Do you want out?” Shepherd said.

Pal nudged Shepherd’s hand with his wet nose and walked to the door. Shepherd opened the door and Pal stood there. He looked up at Shepherd and to the plain in front of them.

“Someone’s coming, aren’t they, Pal?”

Shepherd and Pal waited and from the stream bed, two snow machines appeared and buzzed toward them. It was Ben and Izzy.

Shepherd and Pal waited for them to come to a stop in front of the cabin. Pal playfully greeted them.

“I’m glad we caught you at home,” Ben said. “We thought you might be at the Knicks game.”

“Come on you guys,” Shepherd said. “The Knicks are in Atlanta, the Rangers are in town.”

“What do we know,” Izzy said. “We’re Lakers fans.”

“I’m sorry for your illness,” Shepherd said. “But come in any way.”

They stomped into the cabin.

“Take your stuff off and get warm,” Shepherd said. “I have a good fire.”

“We could use that,” Ben said.

“What brings you guys out this way?” Shepherd said.

“Do you celebrate Christmas?” Ben said.

“I haven’t given it any thought,” Shepherd said.

“Our family doesn’t,” Ben said as he walked to the fireplace, “but our family has a big dinner sometime around Christmas; before, after, on, whenever it is best for us. It will be in three days, the 28th. We want you to come and plan on spending the night with us.”

“You will be so full your snow machine will sink in the snow,” Izzy said.

Shepherd smiled. “I’ll be there.” He thought for an instant. “That makes today Christmas.”

“Yeah,” Izzy said and smiled. “You’re pretty good at math.”

Both boys stood at the fire; one warming the front side and the other the backside.

“Are you guys hungry?” Shepherd said.

“You don’t think we came out here for your good looks,” Ben said.

“No,” Izzy said. “That’s what Nan would come out here for.”

“Izzy,” Ben whispered and shoved him.

“When your age I was always hungry,” Shepherd said.

While the boys warmed themselves the table was set.

“Do you miss New York,” Ben said.

The reply was swift, “No!”