TURNS IN THE ROAD

SARAH SAVES BAMBI

We were out for a drive to enjoy the rural countryside in Kerr County. Sarah, our friend and neighbor, was driving in her black SUV. Suddenly, we came upon a dramatic scene: on our left we saw a fawn running as if for its life. On our right two massive farm dogs of mixed breed were keeping pace with the fawn but were restrained by a sturdy fence.

OPEN GATE = DANGER

In the pasture with the dogs, someone was baling hay and the hay balers had left the gate open for easy access to the road. The fawn was safe as long as he kept going straight but for some reason he turned around and headed in the opposite direction. When he turned back, so did the dogs.

SARH'S SUV FILLS THE GAP!

Sarah immediately noticed the danger: the dogs were headed for the open gate. Once out, they could do as they pleased with the fawn, for the fence on his side of the road appeared impenetrable. He would be trapped.

Caught up in the fawn's emergency, we all called out to him, as if that would help! But Sarah did something better. Thinking quickly, she began to back the SUV up the road. At first I thought she did it just to continue to see where the fawn was going but then I realized she meant to cut the dogs off. They were right alongside of us and it was a toss up if we would get to the gate before they did. But we made it! Just in the nick of time, she backed into the gate, neatly closing the entrance so that the dogs could not get out.

HEAT EXHAUSTION?

We thought the fawn was home free but, strangely, he turned around and headed back in the direction he had come from. The dogs turned back that way too, and since they were no longer interested in the gate, Sarah pulled out and drove slowly so we could continue to watch the fawn and encourage him (not that he knew that!). Since he wasn't very old I kept wondering where his mother was. My husband remarked that as hot as it was he was likely to die of heat exhaustion if he continued to run back and forth with all his might.

When he got to a certain section of the fence he turned back. We were afraid he was headed back to the danger of the open gate but instead he quickly double backed again. He did this several times and it became obvious to us that he was looking for a way through the fence. It was a well-built fence designed to keep deer out and to us it looked like an impossible barrier to overcome. But he kept looking, as if he knew there was a place but just couldn't find it. We agonized with him and worried about the dogs and the open gate.

HOME FREE!

Then suddenly, he slipped underneath and was bounding on the other side, white tail waving. Whew! We were thrilled but exhausted from living his adventure with him.

1st photo by xtoq@fCC