Last Updated on 3/19/2010

Published on 6/16/2009

Where’s a camera when you need it? I was recently walking in my parents’ neighborhood when I caught a glimpse of something brown. It was standing still, and quite large. Of all things—a deer! Not a ‘dear’ because yes I passed quite a few of them too. You know how we Southerners are. We always speak. “Nice weather, huh?” It’s an unwritten rule that we at least nod—that is, unless we are running in the 96 degree heat with a 110 degree heat index. And believe me, on that particular morning that is exactly what I was getting ready to do, fool that I am.
But I stopped dead in my New Balance tracks. I couldn’t believe it! A deer was, I suppose, munching on some Ligustrum, the MOST common, outdated, blasé bush in the eastern Carolinas. I can say that with authority because yes, I too, own and often peruse the “Southern Living Garden Book”—the official Bible of us yard fanatics. Anyway, I stopped and so did he, that is. I say he, but truthfully, I don’t know if it was a girl or a man. (That’s how our 3-year old granddaughter Carly describes the sexes.) Someone later asked me if the deer had antlers and I said, “Darned if I know. I wasn’t thinking about antlers. I was just hoping he wasn’t going to charge at me.” To which my friend said, “Ann, Silly Girl! It was a deer, not a bull.” Whatever.
If you could visualize the subdivision my parents live in, you’d see that it is heavily populated with mostly brick homes built in the 1950’s. The lawns are immaculate and the streets are well traveled, though I wouldn’t say busy. And oh yeah, the main high school in the town (where we four siblings graduated) is less than a mile away. So it’s not like there’s a big old forest nearby. There’s not. So where did he come from? It was surreal: Just the deer and I, eye to eye (he was about my height) staring at each other, perhaps only 40 feet apart. A neighbor was mowing his grass and I tried like heck to get his attention—which was difficult because I didn’t want to scream and frighten away the deer, so I used wild flailing arms and other assorted body motions. I knew no one would believe me. Sure I’m a storyteller, but this story is 100% accurate, not embellished. I’ve used no literary license that I know of. But still I couldn’t get Randy’s attention. By the way, it was 9:15 in the morning on a sunny day—not a soul (except Randy) was in sight. After perhaps 30 seconds the deer ran off. I guess he figured since I didn’t have a camera and there would be no photo shoot what was the use in hanging around? I haven’t seen that deer since, but I’d sure love to know where he lived and I hope he returned safely.
 I did have my camera though when our precious granddaughter, Carly, came for a visit recently. On the day she left to go back to Raleigh, hubby Russell and I, plus Katie our daughter, were really sad because we knew we’d miss her terribly. I was even sadder and madder, in fact, because I realized I hadn’t taken any photos up to that point: of us at the swimming pool, a blueberry farm, the outdoor market or the playground. My bad.
So when we headed out to the rest stop on I-40, our halfway point to meet Kelly, our other daughter and Carly’s mother, I made sure I had my camera. As we sat on a picnic bench waiting for Kelly to arrive I took a few candid shots. But Carly wanted to try her luck at taking pictures too and so I let her. I now have several photos of Russell and me which show our nice church clothes, but no faces. I have a picture of the bottom of the picnic bench and one of my feet. But she actually took a few that are perfect. Truth is, I’ll treasure all of them. I may not have a photo of a deer, but I have some dear photos taken by our dear granddaughter and a few taken of her as well. One last look around the rest stop before we left, which is heavily wooded, green and lush, revealed no deer. Too bad—I would’ve been ready with my camera.
Ann Ipock – “Life Is Short, So Read This Fast!” www.annipock.com amipock@ec.rr.com