My Colorado 
Rocks have eyes
By Alan Rutan
The time was about 3:30 in the morning, with a little snow coming down. The wind swirled the snow across the road as my son Cullen, a State Highway Department employee, made his rounds with the plow. Not much traffic on the road, he thought. Most sensible people were home in bed.
The headlights played across the changing landscape of swirling snow. Up ahead there was a good-sized rock on the side of the road, close to the white line. Since it was on the other side of the road and out of the way of traffic, Cullen thought he would take care of it when he came back the other way. People were always stopping for something and using a rock to put behind their wheels—they never put it back where it came from.
Rocks don't move by themselves and that one was still there when he came back. His first thought was to roll it off the road with the plow blade, but on second thought he wasn't so sure. He didn't want to tear something up if it didn't go in the right direction. Maybe he should just stop and roll it away by hand.
He pulled the truck to the side of the road, where the headlights shone on the rock clearly. As he got out of the warm truck cab, the wind and snow whipped around him. Shovel in hand, he approached the rock.
Just as he got to it, a pair of the biggest, brightest, angriest eyes he had ever seen turned to meet him. Two short ears laid back and that rock came alive with a strong statement saying don't come any closer. A large Great Horned Owl didn't want to be disturbed.
When Cullen called for advice, a Division of Wildlife officer said he would come and check the owl. But when they returned to the spot, the “rock” with the big fierce eyes was gone.
|
Do you have a special memory or humorous story about living in Colorado? EnCompass is looking for original essays that capture the uniqueness of our state. Payment is $60 upon publication. Entries must be typed, double-spaced and 350–450 words. Please include a daytime phone number. Entries will not be returned.
Mail to: EnCompass, Attn: My Colorado, 4100 E. Arkansas Ave., Denver, CO 80222, or email: editor@colorado.aaa.com. A response to a submission may take six to eight weeks.
|
|
 Back to Top
>>>Return to Table of Contents
Copyright © 2007 AAA Colorado. All Rights Reserved. Privacy
|
