Another thigh slapper...
We went to Springfield, MO for a wedding on Saturday. Beautiful wedding, reception, etc. Even the Steak'n'Shake midnite run was good - only 2 rolaids needed. The drive home took only 2.5 hours. Er, well, the time was relevent really. I think we would have made it home in 2.75 ish hours (approx. 150 miles one way).
We stayed all night at a hotel and had breakfast after our previous day's festivities. It was a dry wedding. So hubby can't blame booze, plus I only drove the last 65 miles or so. Anyway, we were rested, no hangover or lingering buzz or even bad weather to report. Then we saw it.
About 12 noon on Sunday, the biggest dang deer we had ever seen. Alive or dead. My daughter, the resident recent high school graduate, top 5% of her class with a stellar grasp of the English language, flew the "holy sh** MOM!" bomb at about 108 decibels.
The years of driving experience that I have accumulated flew right out the open driver's side window - coincidentally, my side. I swerved, slammed on the brakes, recovered by over steering the other way, narrowly missing the said biggest dang deer we had ever seen. Traffic was skidding and honking and somehow everyone missed that deer. And each other thank God. I had no idea that a deer could stand taller than my car at the shoulder! We watched as the deer looked down its nose at every driver as if to say, "Where in the heck did you all learn to drive!" And proceeded to bound away.
I got our car to the shoulder of the highway and contemplated calling 911 to report a pending murder. My daughter just stared out the window with her MP3 earbuds in as if nothing happened. Hubby, wisely, said nothing.
Another driver came over to see if we had perhaps snapped a picture. No such luck. Everyone talked a minute or two and remarked about the size of the deer. Man, I wish I had a picture. The white tail seemed like it was a yard tall as it ran away.
If there is truly a grandaddy deer, and I believe there is, out there, I am positive every hunter in the state will be looking for it come fall hunting season.
postscript: This evening my lovely daughter apologized for scaring me while driving but did I notice how huge that deer was?