 unremarkable. Thursday, March 22, 2007 heading to town it was on the left, right before you hit that big curve that you had to slow down for and coming back home, i always glanced at it as i came out of the same curve. a small line of trees, nestled on a patch of manicured bluegrass at the edge fasig-tipton's auction site, that shadowed a stream leading to a brown and mirky little farm pond. unremarkable. yet from 1982 to 1986 or so, rarely a day went by that this sometimes green, sometimes brown, many times nearly transparent patch of terrain didn't garner a glimpse from me. once a co-worker, earl--older, admirable and wise who raised rabbits to kill and eat--arrived at work with a big plump cottontail as a gift for me. alive it was. in an old corn crate, the kind fresh roasting ears are shipped to the grocery in. earl and i had shared a lively political discussion the day prior, he had been impressed enough with my insight that he decided that a show of his appreciation would be giving me something he took pride in. raising a good meal. i couldn't say no, knowing all the while this rabbit simply would not end up on my table in any fashion. unless, of course, the rabbit could dial domino's and might spring for the two of us a snack with a beer or three. nonetheless, i gladly thanked him for this generous act. an act that country people perform many times over in the span of their existence. no gap gift cards, no amazon book certificates...instead a jar of homemade jam, some pickled corn, fresh butter or in this case a live rabbit. so i put the crate, rabbit in tow, in the back of my car, waved g'bye and took the same route to town i always took. i didn't take long pondering what in the hell i was going to do with the rabbit. on the left, right before you hit that big curve you had to slow down for... i worried if i might have done more harm that actual good. a tame animal, raised in a coop, one day free with little knowledge of the world and survival. but i did what i thought was best, i gave the damned thing a chance...at a place that you might drive by daily--without so much as a glance. unremarkable. when earl asked me how the rabbit was a few days later, i proudly uttered...'remarkable.' unremarkable. Ilford Sporti. Ilford Delta 400. Lens fogged with my breath. Comment (17) | Permalink |
