Walt's Corner

I’ll tell you what was worse than finding out Santa wasn’t real. Let’s face it, as long my gifts kept rolling in, I couldn’t care less. For some this should be the first revelation that adults don’t always tell the truth and that watching the disappointment on a child’s face can bring devious entertainment.

My biggest childhood disappointment was the Snipe. I hadn’t even heard of a Snipe until my Dad and (paternal) grandfather invited me on my Snipe hunt. I was so excited. Had to wait for dusk. Was provided a brown paper bag and flashlight. The hunt was on.

They drug it on for probably half an hour too. I was chasing that snipe that they swore was there and was hoarding it towards me. And when that mythical creature entered my bag I was ecstatic. I shut the bag up with a quickness. Held it tightly closed.

We went inside the house. 1^st red flag. Grandma would not let animals in the house, except for the vicious dog, Trix, they kept in the dark basement with the sump pump they would put me in if I misbehaved.

There I sat on the floor of the den. Shaking from excitement. I remember saying, “I’ve never caught a live animal before!”

“Shake it! Makes sure he’s still in there,” Grandpa said. I shook it. Yup. Still in there, but not moving around. 2^nd red flag. I opened the bag ever so carefully, waiting for it to come rushing out. Nothing happened. “Dump the bag,” I was told. I did. And this smooth rock comes sliding out and onto the floor. Perplexed, I stared at it for a few seconds before I realized I’d been had.

Good times! One of my favorite memories with my grandpa. Right above the time he made me think I was begin chased by a bear in the woods. But that’s a different story for another time.