Daniel Herring
04-19-2006, 02:10 AM
Where I lived, when I was around 5 years old, the open back yard contained the stump of a tree. On that stump sat a large wash tub. It was my self appointed duty, after a heavy rain, to wade barefoot through the grass and empty my wash tub. I really enjoyed that - water spilling out in a torrent, so you might imagine my consternation when, one day, no water came out.
Instead, a Bengal tiger jumped out and chased me around the yard. I just barely made it into the kitchen door; the back of my shirt was in tatters. I barreled through the house to the front yard to warn my mother. She was clipping the hedges.
"Mom!" I cried, "You gotta come in the house! There's a tiger in the back yard!"
She didn't even look up when she answered, "Aw, you're crazy. Go play."
Instead, a Bengal tiger jumped out and chased me around the yard. I just barely made it into the kitchen door; the back of my shirt was in tatters. I barreled through the house to the front yard to warn my mother. She was clipping the hedges.
"Mom!" I cried, "You gotta come in the house! There's a tiger in the back yard!"
She didn't even look up when she answered, "Aw, you're crazy. Go play."