Many, many winters ago

"Hey Grandma, I figured I'd come over to see if you needed anything." "Why Lounga, how nice of you to come by and see me, but I really don't need a thing right now. You're such a good boy for thinking of me though." "Grandma, I'm all grown up now, I have seventeen winters!" "Yes honey, but at my age, you'll always be my little boy. Now sit down on one of these stumps and I'll fix you some water and some nice juicy grubs. I know they're your favorites and they're freshly dug."

"Grandma, I need to ask you something. A couple of weeks ago, I saw two of those creatures that Grandpa told me to stay away from. And I...say, these grubs ARE good, anyway, one of them pointed and put a small box up to it's face when it was looking at me. Did anything like that happen to you?"

"Well, let me think back a bit. Hmm, yes, I do recall something like that many, many winters ago. I was young then and I was on my way to meet your Grandpa. Course, he wasn't your Grandpa at the time, but I was sort of sweet on him at the time. We had plans to go to the monthly gathering of our kind and I was late and I didn't want him to worry, so I moved along best I could.

I knew a shortcut across an old creek bed. As I approached it, I also saw two of these creatures and they were on top of those animals that they ride with another animal trailing along behind. Silly isn't it? Creatures riding animals, hah! I don't think it's right that one kind of an animal should ride another kind of animal and that..."Grandma, you were talking about meeting the creatures?" "Huh? Oh yes, anyway, they saw me and then all heck broke out. I've seen these creature before and so as I walked, I watched them out of the corner of my eye. One hollered to the other and pointed and then his animal jumped up and then flopped over on him on the ground. The other tried to hold on to his animal and had to get off. The third animal that was trailing behind, well he just hightailed it out of there.

The one on the ground got out from under his animal and was trying to grab something from this thing that was tied around the middle of his animal. It turned out to be one of those small boxes that you said your creature had. he put this box up to his face and started to run in my direction. The other creature, now off of his animal, was coming toward me also and had a bang stick with him that he pointed at me, but then put it towards the ground. About now, I had had enough of their antics and I gave them one of my looks. You know, the one that says, I'm in a hurry and don't make me stop because if I do, someone was going to be very sorry! I walked on up a hill and further on sat down on a stump to see if they were following me. When I didn't see them, I then went to see Grandpa.

The next day, I brought Grandpa back to where this all happened and, sakes alive, there were the creatures again. We hid in some bushes and watch them awhile. They were pouring stuff into my footprints and after sitting on some stumps for a time, they'd take the stuff out of the footprints and take them away. Now, whatever for, I have no idea. I tell you Lounga, they are the strangest creatures that I ever did see and Grandpa is right, stay away from them." "Okay Grandma, thanks for telling me that story. I thought maybe that it was just me they do that to. I have to go now, but you know what? You still remember that time, but I'll bet that incident has been forgotten many, many winters ago by them creatures and their kind!"

"Okay Lounga dear, make sure you come back real soon and tell your sister that Grandma Pahty sends her love!

Okay folks, see you next weekend. Happy Bigfooting!