Larry/The Pillar of Salt in Port Washington, WI
Larry-The Pillar of Salt in Port Washington, WI
When we heard that the weekend (May 18th) was going to be perfect, we got on line and discovered a ride up in Port Washington, WI called COWS which stands for Couples on Wheels. We hooked up our 19 ft. trailer, attached our tandem, and headed up North. Most of the COWS stayed at the Country Suites, but we set up at the Fredonia County Park 8 miles away for $10 a night. It was a lovely campground with little amenities; but we are self contained.
We met the group for a nine o’clock ride that took us through Kohler Andrea State Park and then to Oostburg for lunch. We grabbed the 49 mile map; but following other bikers, we ended up doing Larry miles which added up to 40 by lunch and 60 miles at the end. By the time we got to Subway, we were famished. But then we discovered that we forgot money. Now we are famished and broke. Larry was certain he had some in his patch kit, but no dice. I know this is where I step in because Larry has a problem asking for money. I went up to a COW couple and asked them if they were going to the banquet tonight. They said,” yes”. I said this is very embarrassing but my husband forgot our money for lunch and we’ll have difficulty getting back without it. She handed me a $10 bill and I felt like a 6 year old. But I swallowed my pride along with a footlong sandwich, a bag of potato chips and a drink. We were so relieved that we didn’t have to starve on the way home.At the banquet, I gave the couple $15 for their generosity. We met a lot of nice couples who have similar interested to us. They enjoy the outdoors, biking and laughing. We sat at the banquet with Cynthia and Doug Chin and found out we shared a lot in common including our faith in God. They live in Manitowoc, but are originally from MA. He is a chemical engineer and his wife works for RSVP, a volunteer organization. We also met a couple from Milwaukee. Greg is a school psychologist and his wife is a pastor in a Lutheran church. After doing 60 miles for the first day, Larry was a pillar of salt. In other words, he sweats so much that whatever he touches turns to salt. On the other hand, I don’t sweat nearly as much; I give myself the lick test to see if I need a shower or not. After 60 miles, we both took showers in our tiny trailer shower.
There were 12 of us that were induced into COWS. They had an initiation for us which was a handshake where the husband clasps his hands like you would do for the childhood game, here’s the church; here’s the steeple. His thumbs face downward and the wife pulls on the thumbs like she is milking a cow. Yes, there’s no doubt we are in diary land.
We didn’t set an alarm on Sunday morning which was a mistake. We overslept and missed the 8 AM departure. . We took off on our own to the town of Cedarburg and greeted COWS on their way back from breakfast. We found a cute coffee house where we sat outside enjoying the beautiful weather. The temperature along Lake Michigan in Port Washington was 67 degrees while inland it was 83 degrees. We went from freezing to roasting. While in Cedarburg, we were fortunate to find a bike store to repair out cable otherwise I’d have another chapter with Life with Larry. Overall it was a wonderful weekend.
It’s going to be a busy week. We have the Joplin, MO group coming over on Thursday to share food, fellowship and pictures. Larry spent a week rebuilding with Catholic Charities and staying at the Baptist church. I love the commaraderie when it comes to serving. While in Joplin, Larry lived up to his name, Grandpa Owie, by accidentally shooting himself with a roofing gun that just missed the kneecap. Fortunately it’s on the mend, and he was able to enjoy our tandem COW ride. Stay tuned for more adventures with my Life with Larry. To see pictures, see Sue Schuerr facebook.
.An Easter Campout/The Earth Moves Under His Feet
Most sane people spend Easter with family and friends, but not so with Life with Larry. After Easter services, we packed up the van and headed towards Kettle Moraine State Forest, WI. We have been going there now for 38 years. It’s like a second home for us. Finding a site is no problem; yet we were somewhat surprised at how many people were camping on an Easter weekend.
We put up our large pink and gray tent. We blew up the mattress and woke up our sleeping bags from their winter slumber. Then we set out on a hike around the Nature Trail across from the campground. On the way, we saw Sand Hill Cranes flying overhead. When our children were growing up, it used to take us around 2 hours to go around the trail; now we hike it in 40 minutes. We can still see Debbie, Julie and Aaron once again chasing butterflies, tossing rocks and wading in the natural cold springs bubbling from the ground. We recall the stream rock we set Aaron on as a toddler to take his naked picture. A few years ago we took our Chicago grandchildren, Elliot and Natalie, to the very same place. They spend a half hour with their feet in the cool spring fed waters looking for tadpoles, etc. On our way out, Grandpa Larry jumped on the porous ground causing the earth to tremble. Elliot got a big kick out of this, shouting, “Grandpa can make the Earth Move under My Feet.” Little did he know, he was quoting a well-known title of a song.
We then hiked the Ice-Age Trail during sunset. The colorful blossoms and varied hues of light green forming leaves looked like a tapestry from one of Monet’s paintings.
Larry has more backpacking equipment than Sports Authority and REI. The kids joke about what they will take when he departs. Realizing that we will never eat all the backpacking food he has accumulated, he decides that’s what we’ll have for dinner. So my choice was either Italian or Turkey Delight. It’s basically a fancy name for dry food packed in aluminum foil. We cut it open and added hot water----instant dinner. After a long arduous hike in the mountains----this can taste yummy. But when we are 30 minutes from a good restaurant, the story is quite different. I chose Turkey Delight which wasn’t too bad except the dry chicken tasted more like old chewing gum. We then switched bags so I could try the Italian Cuisine. It was very sweet like putting sugar on spaghetti. Yuk. But it filled the hole and I didn’t complain. The forecast was for weather in the 30’s that evening, so I gathered wood and we made a fire. Soon a large, lone camper crept out of the woods. I was hoping he wasn’t a serial killer. Vick was from CA and had traveled to WI to see family and friends for Easter. We talked around the fire until our eyes were heavy with slumber. Fortunately, Larry brought a propane heater along since the temperatures were supposed to get down to the 30’s. But about 2 AM we ran out of propane and Larry put on just about all his extra clothes to keep warm. My newer bag still kept me cozy. After a restless sleep, we prepared our breakfast dry food entitled Scrambled Eggs Delight which was the worst of our choices. Larry put too much water in it and the dry eggs just swam in the water ready for us to capture.
But we had great coffee and embarked on a new hike Larry discovered in his Wisconsin Hike Book. It was a very beautiful and peaceful bog. And the earth still did move under our feet.
Life with Larry is always an adventure----rarely boring. But I have to admit, after three backpacking meals, the food at the restaurant on the way home tasted especially delicious.
The Resurrection-Fact or Myth?
Every year the media focuses on Easter and its significance to the Christian community. Questions are raised about Christ’s life, death and his resurrection. “Was he the King of the Jews?” “Did he walk the Earth after his resurrection?” ”Was he truly the Son of God?” Certainly Christians live by faith, but is there also conclusive proof of Christ’s resurrection throughout the Bible and history? “If there is no resurrection from the dead,” said the jailed Apostle Paul, “then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is our faith (1 Corinthians 15:12).” Hopefully, my research will help you draw your own conclusion.
To begin, the most powerful arguments are the prophecies concerning Christ’s first coming and his crucifixion. No person could possibly script his life to fit where he would be born, how he would die, and where and how he would be buried. These prophecies can be found throughout the Old Testament; but for the sake of brevity, we’ll center on two books. First, the book of Isaiah which was written in 740-680 B.C. Isaiah was born into an upper-class family where he rubbed shoulders with royalty and gave advice concerning foreign affairs of the nation. He also attacked the social ills of his day like many of us who are concerned about the welfare of our nation. He viewed these social abuses as symptoms of spiritual declension. To give you a flavor of his writing, see Isaiah 1: 23. “Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.” Today, we can throw our corrupt politicians/governors in jail. Unfortunately for Isaiah, who lived most of his life in Jerusalem, his outspoken word got him martyred by being sawed in two while inside a hollow log (Hebrews 11:37) under the reign of Manasseh. Here are the statements of a God inspired man. When reading Isaiah 53, one would think he was reading the lyrics for Handel’s Messiah. Many of these verses will resonate with you.
- “He was despised and rejected by men-a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Is. 53.3
- “But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds, we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all……he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Is. 53.5-7
- “He was assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” Is. 53:9
- “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life, and be satisfied: Is. 53:9
- “For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Is. 53:12
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered on January 28, 1949. The whole Old Testament was discovered except for the book of Esther. The book of Isaiah was relatively intact and is 1000 years older than anything found previously. The Isaiah scroll dates back to the second century B.C. which would make it impossible to falsify to fit the life of Christ... The Dead Sea Scrolls also called the Qumran scrolls (Qumran is the main location in the Dead Sea area where the scrolls were discovered) demonstrates unequivocally the fact that the Jews were faithful in their transcription of biblical manuscripts. The Jewish writers were extremely conscientious about copying the biblical text, and memorization was a key component of their education. The Old Testament books from Qumran are those which we find in our Bibles. Comparing today’s scripture to those found in the Dead Sea Scrolls speaks of the accuracy found in the text.
The second book I examined was the book of Psalms which was also found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The following are some of the prophecies of the Messiah.
- “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads; He trusts in the Lord let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” Ps. 22: 7-8
- “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me…my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; Ps. 22:14 (Medically this is an accurate description of what takes place when a person is crucified.)
- “They have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” Ps. 22:16
- “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” Ps. 69:21
- “Because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy one see decay.” Ps. 16:10
There are hundreds of prophecies concerning the coming Messiah which Jesus has fulfilled. Here are a few more.
- Bethlehem was named as the birthplace of the Messiah seven centuries before the event. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”(Micah 5:2)
- “See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
- “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zechariah 12:10
The prophecies of Christ first coming are powerful. In addition, there are prophecies about his second coming and I encourage you to do your own study. I was a skeptic myself and understand the many questions and concerns you may have. I have spent years as an educator with a Master’s degree from Concordia University. If you are feeling like something is missing in your life….could it be because you were created for so much more------a relationship with the living God? He has a significant plan for your life. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:12).” If Christ was the Messiah and there is such a thing as abundant life here and life after death-----------------wouldn’t you want to know? Anything this important cannot be ignored.
I welcome questions and discussion on this all important topic.
Sue Schuerr (sschuerr@gmail.com)
Affecting Lives with Adaptive Adventures
I peered into the sad eyes of a 25 year old 6’4”man named Bob sitting in a wheelchair. He had a handsome ruddy complexion and a desire to communicate. It wasn’t long before he told me his life story. Five years ago he was in a snowmobile accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. A few years later he lost his mother. I wanted to comfort him like I would my own son. My heart was heavy when he responded fatalistically, “It is what it is.” We talked about medical science and the progress they were making helping people like Bob and we talked about God and his plan for his life. “You know what I miss the most,” he said, “the adrenalin rushes. That’s why I am here at Adaptive Adventures.” I was hoping to ski today but the slots are filled. I put it on my calendar to be there when Bob tried a sit ski for the first time. As fate would have it, my husband was Bob’s teacher. They worked together learning to ski at Wilmot Ski Resort. Just like an able bodied skier, one directional turn was stronger than the other. But by the end of the day, it all clicked and he triumphantly cruised down the hill solo all the way to the lodge with Larry and his good friend following. He was ecstatic about his new accomplishment, and he certainly experienced an adrenalin rush. We talked about going out to Colorado for a Wounded Warrior event in the future... Bob now has hope for a better, more fulfilled life.
The week before, Larry worked with a client named Ted who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force while Larry was merely an E5 in the Marines. This was quite a role reversal for both of them. Larry’s method of teaching was to treat the Vets as though he was their gunnery sergeant. “Turn left he would shout. Make it a harder left turn. Get up and do it again.” Ted, Larry’s client, was a pilot in the Air Force. When he was discharged, he joined the reserves and started working for United Airlines. The Air Force took him from his job and family to serve during the Iraq war where he suffered an injury as a result of a cargo plane crash. Today, he walks hunched over with a cane as a result of being partially paralyzed. His dream is to join his lovely wife and child on ski adventures in Colorado.
I worked with Vince, the gentle bull dog. He was a guerrilla sniper in the 80’s. He talked about his deployments in Grenada, El Salvador and Panama. He vividly recalled a rescue effort of nuns and priests in El Salvador. Sadly, they were all executed before his team of guerrillas arrived. Vince has a rebuilt shoulder and hip. He also suffered a stroke that has limited his movement on the left side. The other instructor working with him had also suffered a stroke on the same side. He was able to relate to Vince’s trauma. My job was to demonstrate how to ski down the hill and to help Vince stay steady. We took him up on the magic carpet and worked on getting him down the bunny hill which looked like Mt. Everest to him. Vince did fall a couple of times and we wanted him to quit but quitting was not in Vince’s vocabulary. He worked hard to succeed yesterday and felt proud of his achievements. He mentioned that he cooks at a Catholic school and his pastries are unbelievably delicious. We hope to try them someday.
Life with Larry has taken us to some interesting places. We both worked very hard yesterday but left with a smile knowing Adaptive Adventures enlightened so many lives.
A Tribute to My Valentine Day Sweetheart
Larry and I met at a Valentine’s Day dance at Northern Illinois University over 40 years ago. It’s a love that deepens with the years. Hopefully, our story will inspire you to build a stronger and more lasting relationship with the one you love. After retiring from teaching, he has devoted himself to working for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Bright Hope, Faith in Action and most currently Adaptive Adventures. In the past, Larry managed, with the help of friends and family, to fix up and give away more than 2,000 bicycles. We have always been a team. We have a tandem kayak, a tandem bicycle and I wouldn’t miss a ride on the back of his Gold Wing Motorcycle up to Lake Geneva. This probably is one of the reasons why we are close. We choose to serve together, pray together and play together. Not that we don’t have our problems like any other couple. But our nature is to love and to laugh and it’s hard for us to stay angry for very long. We try to follow what the Bible says. “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” Many times we just agree to disagree. We can both be stubborn at times. We look to the Bible for guidance as it is a source that never chances unlike the latest counselor advice. Finding happiness, we have discovered, comes from serving one another and helping others. It once has been said,” A person makes a very small package if he is totally wrapped up in himself.” We both love people, the outdoors and each other so that is why our latest serving experience is so perfect. It embodies all of our passions. Larry is my trailblazer setting us off on yet another adventure.
For the past four years, Larry has been an instructor at Wilmot Ski Resort where he noticed a group of Adaptive Adventure Skiers in the cafeteria. Being retired military, he immediately wanted to know how he could get involved helping GI’s returning with causalities from Iraq and Afghanistan. He met Reilly who lost a leg in combat. We were so impressed to see how well Reilly skis and how he teaches others the sport. We knew it was an organization we wanted to get involved in. It wasn’t long before Larry was spending two full days a week helping disabled adults and children. My first experience with Adaptive Adventures was a weekend up at Cascade. I thought I was going to shadow Larry. But before I knew it, they had me skiing with Haley, a legally blind 17 years old. She was so excited to be on the mountain on a warm, sunny day. We talked non stop about her family, school and skiing. As a former English teacher, we discussed The Scarlet Letter, Shakespeare, etc. We talked about poetry slams and decided to write a poem about Jeff the young man who taught her how to ski. We could only find paper plates and a marker to write our hilarious poems. The most I had to do for Haley was to take her by the arm as we got off the lift and to guide her down the hill. She did a splendid job avoiding any potential hazards...
We came in for lunch. The table looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. It was surrounded with prosthetic legs. I never knew there were legs for skiing as well as legs for walking. Sarah, an Africa American teenager dressed all in pink, just beamed as she smiled at Haley and me. She and her friend were taking a break from their morning adventure on sit-skies. Yes, a paraplegic can ski while sitting and control the directions.
Larry joined us after spending the morning with Marley and Cullen, two boys with cerebral palsy. He was excited about a contraption he used to keep them from crossing their skies. He also had ideas for new gadgets. It wasn’t long before I looked beyond the physical impairments of these young people. I saw each of them as individuals with a zest for life and an eagerness to enjoy a sport that even the most able bodied would find difficult.
I am most fortunate to have a Sweetheart who has led us in a life enriching direction. Happy Valentine’s Day Larry! Thanks for making a difference in my life as well as in the lives of so many people. Love, Sue
Life with Larry as a Three Act Play/Ice Breaker Speech
Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, “Oh my God, What a ride.” That’s what I hope for. The three essentials to happiness in life are someone to love, something to do and something to hope for. My life is a Three Act play. . Act 1 is how I met my husband and about my family, Act 2 is about my career as a high school teacher, and Act 3 is my present state as a traveler, volunteer and a developing writer. .Now the play begins.
Act 1-I went to NIU where I studied English and drama. As a freshmen, I was feeling a bit home sick and lonely. I remember looking up at the sunset and watching the pink clouds and thinking I wanted to be one. Nature has always had a profound effect on me and I said, “G. od, I don’t think you are there, but if you are, “Make something wonderful happen to me."
That night I went to a dance and saw a young man, Larry, whose picture was in the paper that day for his views on Viet Nam. He had a girl pasted on each side, and yet I had a strong impression that I was going to meet him. When I came out of the bathroom, he was alone and I made my move-----turning as red as my sweater. He had noticed me that day with a friend of his. We danced to a medley of Beatle songs and it was one of those Cinderella moments when I knew I had met my Prince Charming. The feeling was mutual and three years later we married and had three wonderful children.
Deborah, who lives in Bozeman, MT, is a music instructor and composer. Julie, who works part time in marketing, lives in the city and has two children, Elliot and Natalie. Aaron, who also lives in Livingston, MT as a noted artist, has three boys, August, Jasper and Isaak.
Act 2 begins with my various careers. I taught ESL and life skills at McHenry and Elgin Community College. As a substitute, I was offered a job teaching English in District 155/Cary Grove High School—home of the state football and volleyball champs. Overall, I would have to say, I loved working with teenagers---they keep you laughing. I directed the school plays and my husband, then an Industrial Art’s teacher at Dundee Crown, did the sets. I had one student come in for a try out packet in the English dept. I said, "Go pick one up, it’s in the break out room." She returned empty handed and said, “It says, You Can’t Take it with You." The whole department broke out into laughter. That was the name of the play.
Believe it or not, you can take plays down state to the Illinois High School Theatre Festival and we took down The Taming of the Shrew and When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet. Teaching, grading and directing took up most of my time so when my husband suggested we take an early retirement, I agreed.
Act 3-Last October 2011, I was on a Lear jet to Andrew’s Air force base. Larry spent four years in the Marines and then was in the Navy Reserves for 18 years. Now we have Space A flying privileges. We got to Andrews and then flew to Italy where we rented a Fiat and explored. But that will be in another blog.
We have worked with Habitat for Humanity building homes in Waveland where Katrina hit the hardest and I write for the Compassion and Justice blog at our church-----on issues such as the Haiti earthquake and Human Trafficking and of course Life with Larry.org.
And now for the Epilogue----- Everyone needs to have a little PMSS in their lives. Did I say PMS? Yes, P stands for Physical. I’m a very active person who loves to bicycle, run, hike and ski. M stands for Mental. I work on developing my mind with activities such as Toastmasters, writing, and reading. I play the piano anything from Mozart to Stairway to Heaven. S stands for Social. It is so important to cultivate friendships and reach out to help others. And the final S is for spiritual. It’s the fabric that has woven my life ever since I looked up at the sunset and gave my life to God during college.
As I said in my opening statement, Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting," Oh my God, what a ride.”
Life with Larry takes us from Scott ARB to Italy
We took a shuttle to the new Presidential Inn which is a 286 room facility built in 2010. The friendly staff gave us a beautiful room on the 3rd floor. The leaves are changing color and a stream and hiking path is right behind the Inn. Larry and I took a long walk and enjoyed the 70 degree sunny climate.
Tonight we'll get a shuttle with a military wife we met on the plane, and we'll head for Baltimore airport where we'll take a military/commercial flight to Ramstein, Germany and then to Aviano, a base in Italy. The flight begins at 10 PM so we'll sleep on the plane and wake up across the ocean. We hope to see Venice, Trieste, Florence, Naples and Rome.
There are six bases in Italy where we can stay for the cost of the room.
Life with Larry is always an adventure. I'll write more as we travel.
Raining? Think like the Scottish!
Larry and I raised our children without a TV most of the years. We spent our time reading to our kids and hiking and camping ---- they all developed great imaginations. Larry read all of JR Toilkein books to them using various voices well before the movies came out.
So my question to you is the following: "How do you handle life when the rain comes?" Maybe the Scottish have a little secret for all of us. Have a great day!
"A Recipe for Life" by Sue Schuerr
Life with Larry took us to the Schuerr reunion in Fox Lake on Sunday Aug, 29th. Larry greeted his 90 year old Aunt Esther by kissing and tickling her neck. He has greeted Aunt Esther in this manner over the past 30 years. She smacked him and said, “Stop it, Skip.” Skip was Larry's boyhood nickname. Aunt Esther was always Larry's favorite aunt even if she was instructed by his mother to shave his head in an unfashionable crew cut every summer.
We soon noticed that smiling Aunt Esther was proudly holding hands with her 91 year old boyfriend, Emil. The lovebirds reminded us of high school sweethearts. Yes, Aunt Esther could easily write the recipe for life. Her laughter and teasing personality lightens up any room. She and Emil arrived in an orange, convertible Prowler like Cinderella going to the ball only accompanied by the prince. Emil sports two hearing aids and his sight isn't great, but Aunt Esther is his eyes and ears. In the past, she would ride her bike or walk to her son John's house to greet the day with him over a cup of coffee.
As late as last summer, she road on the back of John's Harley like a true motorcycle mama wearing only a scarf on her head. But now, Emil takes her time and she just calls her son and wishes him a good day.
“I've been jilted by another man,” laughs John while flipping burgers.
On Friday's her son Jim picks Emil and Esther up for a fish dinner. “I sneak peeks from my rear view mirror and catch them smooching. What a role reversal,”Jim said.
Aunt Esther had six children. Her second to the last one, Bobby, lived until 21 years old with cerebral palsy. Normally, a child in his condition would live no longer than seven years. The whole family was trained to help Bobby who had to be hand fed and diaper changed. After his death, Aunt Esther and her husband took in an older gentleman who needed a roof over his head. He stayed with them until his death five years later.
Watching Esther and Emil hold hands at the family reunion brought smiles to all our faces. Her recipe for life is simple. “You're never too old to love and be loved.” Regardless of ailments, the couple may well live to see their 100th birthday. Now that's an occasion for another
Schuerr reunion.
The Many Faces of Larry
At Sunset Beach in Fish Creek crowds gather for the big event---watching the glowing sun disappear over the Lake Michigan horizon where earlier we saw pelicans, a new phenonomen, flying like pearls in the sky. Parents and children skip rocks and lovers embrace one another while gazing at the halo of orange and pink. Larry and Sue along with three female friends are ready to join the crowd for applause that begins with the sunset.
Somehow Larry got on the topic of hunting remembering the nightly jaunts of the deer crossing our yard nibbling our flowers and scrubs on their way to a save haven of soft underbrush where they nestle for the night. Our son, Aaron, is a hunter because that is what one does in Montana to get meat for the year. Larry has always longed to join him but the cost of the tags are too expensive. Over the past five years, we have seen the deer population grow exponentially in our suburban neighborhood.
Waiting for the sun to set is a celebration anticipating the guest of honor to arrive. The joyful atmosphere transforms strangers into friends. The picture changed abruptly as Larry explained loudly how he would love to hunt Bambi in his own backyard but he said, “My chances of killing a deer with a single bow would be close to impossible. An arrow would slow it down, but then I'd have to chase it through the neighborhood with a knife and slit its throat. I don't think the neighbors would appreciate that very much.” The mental shift from a setting sun to a slit throat causes us to cringe. The man on the rock below us was squirming while eavesdropping.
Next, we drove into town to get ice cream when Larry suddenly pulled over to the curve and parked. He then took us to a circle of lilacs and told us to breath deeply. “It's the most pleasant aromatic smell. Isn't it wonderful? I just love it and had to share it with you,” said Larry.
Our friend Lu, a counselor, burst out laughing saying to me, “One minute he is slitting Bambi's throat and the next minute he has us all gathered to smell the lilacs. What's that all about?”
Yes, Larry hasn't hunted anything more than a pheasant and cries first at the movies. My former Marine husband will stand up for the needy and oppressed, yet he will stop for a sunset and to smell lilacs-----the many faces of Larry.
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