Seasons Change....Memories Are Forever

Seasons Change...... Memories are Forever

by Len Harris

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Dad left Wednesday night. He drove up to his brother's to deer hunt. I watched him leave. It was almost painful watching his yellow van pull out of the driveway. I wanted to go so badly. I was old enough to do ALL of the others hunting and fishing things with him. But....NOT rifle deer hunt.

The phone rang.We were all sitting around the television watching the Packers play the Lions on Turkey Day. I flew to the phone. It was my dad. He told me he would be home late that evening. I asked him how he did. He told me a doe and a big buck. Mom took the phone and told Dad that I was driving her crazy talking about deer hunting. She hung up and said to the family that dad would be home late that evening.

I asked my mom if I could put my new deer hunting coat on and wait for my dad outside. The coat was still in the box. It was a wool black and red plaid deer hunting coat. She told me not to put it on right away. So i waited about 2 minutes and put it on. I took my 5 gallon bucket and went out to the end of the driveway. After about 3 hours my mother called out to me and told me to come inside.

I was really mad. I wanted to show my mother I WASN'T too little to deer hunt. I wanted her to tell Dad that I had set on that bucket for hours completely still. "Just like a good buck hunter." I always listened to my mom. I went to the porch with my bucket.

It wasn't much longer and dad rolled into the drive. I sprinted to the end of the driveway. My dad had a huge smile when he saw me. Me in my miniature deer hunting coat. He had not seen it before then.Mom told him she bought it for me as an early xmas present..

We all helped my dad take the deer off the roof.I heard my mom and dad talking. Dad asked mom why she bought that coat for me. Mom said I was so disappointed that I couldn't go. She had to do something to ease my pain. Dad said "That will only fan his flames, He is still too young to go."

I made my dad tell me the complete story of both deers he had gotten. Complete with the way the winds were coming from and the weather. I wanted know even the littlest details...So I could feel like I was there.

Sunday morning came and Dad and I got up early and went to the Gas Station to swap lies with all the other hunters. I wore my new deer hunter's coat. All the locals were there. Each hunter shared their hunting stories.I was my dad's turn to tell his story. Dad started out the story slowly. He hesitated between sentences and i couldn't help it. I finished his sentence for him. ALL the locals roared in laughter. They knew I had not gone along and I knew the story by heart in only 4 days.

The harsh winter came to visit and seemed to last forever. My dad and I spent time on the Mississippi ice fishing to pass the cold Wisconsin months. I really liked being alone with him. One on one time with my dad. I did not have to share him with my sisters.

Spring came and this meant many different outdoor activities with my dad. Just him and I. Bird hunting and fishing were the norm every weekend. The winds became cold and my dad was getting the deer hunting itch again. I was angry. I knew there was ONLY one more year.......One more year of waiting at the end of the driveway for my dad. . My dad loaded up the van again and left at dusk on Wednesday night.As my dad left, he rolled down the window of the van. He said "Next year you will be going along with me." My mom waved bye to my dad and told me NO waiting in the driveway this year. I could wait on the porch.

Thursday came and no call from dad. I went out onto the porch to sit. I decided to raise all of my dad's deer horns up to the top of the porch. I left the row of nails below his horns. That row was going to be where ALL my horns were going to hang.

Friday came and again no call. I went back out to the porch. I organized all the ice fishing gear. Put new line on the jig poles and took all the mono out of the eyes of the jigs in the jig boxes. Saturday night I organized my shelves on the porch. All of my firsts with my dad. There were tail feathers of the first three ducks i shot. My first pheasant's tail feather. Then there was my favorite..My grouse tail........ Those dang things were so hard to hit. The rest of the things organized were 2 squirrel tails and a red and white daredevil and my Mepps spinner from my first trout. Each had special memories from dad and me.

Sunday night I saw light at the end of the driveway. I grabbed my deer hunting coat and went out to meet my dad. I was my dad's yellow van. I went to the driver's door. It wasn't my dad driving. It was my uncle Dudely. I asked where my dad was. He didn't speak. He got out of the van and went into the house. My mother and uncle walked into another room and closed the door. I t seemed like they wee in there forever. There was a knock on the door.

It was was my 2 uncles. My mother's brothers. They also went into the room with Uncle Dudley and mom. All the adults came out of the room and mom called us all to the kitchen table.

She had us all sit down. She started to cry. All my uncles consoled her. My Uncle Dudley told us that my dad was hunting with him and dad got a big buck. They were dragging the deer out of the woods and my dad suffered a heart attack and died.

Mothers and fathers please take your children outdoors. Show them the wonders of nature. Get them out from in front of the television and video games........ Please?