A to Z Challenge 2020: O is for Obsessive

Posted on April 17, 2020 by hdh

 

O is for Obsessive

Oliver was obsessed. And not like anyone else that I have ever met with an obsession. His quirk was that he was obsessed with the letter “O”. “O” had meaning for him because of his name, Oliver Owen Oppenheim.  He constantly reminded everyone, “Clearly my parents had something special in mind for me when they named me, beginning all my names with the letter O. To honor them I cherish anything that starts with O.” I should mention that Oliver’s parents’ names were Oscar and Opal (née Opal Ostropen).

Oliver lived in an orange house in Oklahoma. Everyone told him that he should repaint the house a different color to fit in with the neighborhood; that it was a terrible color; that it was an eyesore to the community. But he just shrugged it off. “This is the house I grew up in. I chose the color orange so that it would remind me of the sun coming up in the morning and of the golden sunset that I look forward to each night. It also makes my house stand out in the neighborhood, so it can easily be found should someone need to visit me. It has purpose.”

Oliver starts each day with his usual ordinary obligations. He eats a hearty breakfast of oatmeal or an omelet. Offers leftovers to his pet owl, “Owly”. Overlooks any household chores he has to do. Don’t even look at his oven. He’ll sit down on the ottoman in the outer terrace and uses a Ouija board to predict the outcome for his day. Usually, he’ll wear one of his many Oleg Cassini sweaters over his Old Navy jeans. When it is overcast, he makes sure to put on his overshoes and overcoat before leaving for work. 

He commutes to his office in Oklahoma City, where he works as an organizational observer of obscure objects related to oceanography.  This allows him to take frequent trips to his offsite, oceanfront outlet in Oregon. Which is, in fact, where he got his pet otter, aptly named “Outdoor Ollie”. 

Oliver also loves music. He plays both the oboe and an ocarina; not at the same time, of course. His favorite conductor has always been Otto Klemperer and he enjoys the music of Offenbach, especially Offenbach’s operettas. He’s kind of a folk/country music junkie too. His favorite singers include Odetta, Phil Ochs, the Oakridge Boys, Buck Owens, and The Osmonds. 

If I could describe Oliver in two words, I would say that he is an optimistic oddball. But aren’t we all, at least a little bit? After all, my parents named me Harvey Heilbrun. I had an uncle named Hugo and the first instrument I taught myself to play was a harmonica, honestly. And I’m not obsessed at all. 

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A to Z Challenge 2020: N is for NO!

Posted on April 15, 2020 by hdh

 


N is for NO!

What was one of the first words an infant learns to say and master? My contention is it’s the word, “NO!” Of course, I’m speculating here. We love to be proud of our babies when we hear them first say “mama” or “dada”. Actually I think one of my son’s first words was “turtul”(turtle). Though each of these is very cute and loving, nothing compares to when they master the word, “No” and they learn that it is a word of power. That’s it for you as a parent; you are destined to hear it over and over again for the next few years. That’s probably because it is a word you use exclusively to tell them wrong from right. The only other power word I can remember that was used by a baby might have been the word, “more!” Neither word was used in a questioning way. It was always a demand.

When I was in third grade a new student entered my class mid-year. He was from Israel. All I can remember of his first day coming to class with his mother was this argument between mother and child. I understood none of the Hebrew, however, in between those Hebrew words yelled by the boy to his mom was, “NO!, NO!, NO!” Clearly the word “No” transcends a multitude of languages. Fyi – That boy became one of my best friends growing up.

As we age, some of us tend to relinquish the use of our “Nos” In some instances, it is due to common courtesy or kindness. Someone asks you, “Would you help me with this problem?” Where inside you may want to say, “No, not really, I just sat down,” outwardly you say, “Sure, what can I do to help?” The power of empathy, compassion, and just making others happy, overpowers that “No” instinct from your youth.
And then there are those that lose their capacity to use their “No” due to fear, cultural bias, embarrassment, or the feeling of being powerless. Being forced to do something they really don’t want to do, whether it is being sexually assaulted, committing crimes, joining bad groups, etc. That one powerful word, that we learned so early in life becomes trapped in a cage that cannot be opened.

And let’s not leave out those that don’t relinquish their “Nos”. They remain steadfast in believing that others don’t matter. “No, I won’t help you. I’m only in it for myself.” These are the power brokers, the politicians, the money grabbers, etc. These are the ones that usually only see one side of the coin. I’m sure you’ve come across some of them.
But “No” still can be that powerful, meaningful word that we grew up with when used judicially and appropriately. “No, I don’t feel that’s safe.” “No, that’s not appropriate.” “No, I won’t do that to someone else.” “I said, No. Now get away from me.”
And in those instances and others, the correct response should be, “Yes, I accept what you say and will do as you ask.”

I leave you with at least one exception to my reasoning for responding
Yes” to “No” as I have suggested. I’m sure some may disagree with me and that there are probably more exceptions. My exception involves giving aid and comfort. When someone confides in you or you are aware that they intend harm to themselves or others, and they say to you, “No, leave me alone.” I believe that your “No” trumps there’s, “No, I can’t do that.” is the correct response.

And, No, I’m not going to write any more on this topic. But feel free to comment back to me. I’ve got other writing that I need to do.

 

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A to Z Challenge 2020: M is for Mistake

Posted on April 15, 2020 by hdh

This is a continuation of B is for Birthday. It was followed by F is for Follow, H is for Hunted, and K is for King. You may want to read them first if you haven’t already. 

 Mistachke

Barry just stood there wondering what to do. It’s not that he had a choice. He was only a 13-year-old boy. In some cultures, he may have been considered a man, but at this moment he felt so much like an unprepared kid that he was frozen in time, consumed with doubt and fear.

He looked at the message and map again and reminded himself of all the skills he had learned about mindfulness in school. He sat down on the ground, closed his eyes and took slow deep breaths. He tried to focus on his family and friends. He pictured in his mind the hero that he wanted to be. As he calmed down, a plan began to emerge. He would follow the map as best he could but remain slightly off the path that he was instructed to follow. This would allow him to see and hear anyone that might be near him, who meant him harm and give him time to avoid them. When he arrived at the captive’s hideout, he would stealthily attempt to gain access and make contact with the queen and the captives. His hope was that at that point they would be able to figure out a way to make an escape together. 

The key to all of this was not to be caught. Barry studied the map carefully. There were enough landmarks on the way to make it easy to follow. He managed to avoid a few animals and people; not sure if they and anything to do with the magician. He reached the spot where the map showed the captives were being kept. It was a cave.  There didn’t seem to be anyone guarding the opening. Barry hesitated for a moment and then entered the cave. 

After taking a few steps into the cave he stopped and listened for any voices or sounds of movement. When he heard none, he took out the flashlight that had been given to him, by the king, and turned it on. He slowly progressed further into the cave. 

He came to a fork in the tunnel of the cave. Down the right fork, he could hear the voices of people. The voices were of people of many different ages and genders. Barry could hear things being moved around. He heard some heavy breathing, some men complaining, some women screaming, some crying children, and someone who was clearly giving orders. These must be the captives. 

Down the left fork, Barry only heard the voice of one woman. She was clearly talking to someone, using a very regal sounding tone. It must be the queen. Barry decided she should be the one to contact first. Without much thought, he walked straight down the fork to the left and soon came face to face with the queen herself. 

The queen stared at Barry, with that same penetrating eye as the king had. She looked at the flashlight in Barry’s hand and realized at once, from its insignia, that it had come from the king. Before Barry could utter a word, the queen turned to the guard, who had been the one she had been talking to and loudly ordered, “Quick, go and get Hyde. It appears we have a new slave to work with the others in the cave!”

It appeared that both the king and Barry had made a big mistake. The queen didn’t need rescuing; She was working with the magician, not against him and Barry had walked right into her lair. He was now their captive. He was again frozen in time, doubtful and scared. How was he going to help the captives now?

 

to be continued in Q is for Queen

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A to Z Challenge 2020: L is for Love

Posted on April 14, 2020 by hdh

 

 

Love starts at an early age

You’re less than one, that’d be the stage

Your focused eyes stare into space

And look upon your parents’ face

Their loving glance, their warming grin

You know with them you’re bound to win

You ask for love when they stop by

For then you have no need to cry

They pick you up and hold you tight

You know that everything’s all right.

And as you grow, your love expands

You need some way to use your hands

A dog or cat or comfy pet

Will share your life if you’ll just let

Them in your space to comfort you

And show them love when you feel blue

With touch and hugs your love abounds

Which they return with pleasant sounds

Of course, not all the pets are real

Some may be stuffed as toys to feel

This love of them is very strong

And helps you when those things go wrong

Now you grow up, no need for toys

Your love is meant for girls or boys

You find that they are right for you

To share your life with chosen few 

These friends define the love you share

They understand, they really care

Until your hormones start to rage 

And then it’s time to turn the page

Is he the one? Is she for me?

Time will tell, you wait and see.

Some might work out and others fail

Love still remains to tell the tale

There’s heartbreak and excitement too

As you grow up, you’re never through

And then you find, the one that love

Has taken you to skies above

The one you cherish till the end

The one that’s more than just a friend

This love created is most strong

That is returned, and rights all wrong

Two candles burned but now they’re one

Through many years your love will run

Don’t think that now love’s run its course

For sometimes there’s another source

Of needed love before you’re through

A child is born, a life that’s new

To start again, I’m talking of 

This cycle that we all call love

 

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A to Z Challenge 2020: K is for King

Posted on April 13, 2020 by hdh

This is a continuation of B is for Birthday. It was followed by F is for Follow and H is for Hunted, You may want to read them first if you haven’t already. 

Before the guard could act, Barry held out the message and said, “I bring a message for the king. It is very important, lives may depend on it.”

The guard paused for a moment, then asked, “Whose lives?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know. I was told the king wanted this information.”

The guard grasped the message but didn’t open it. “And who might I ask, gave you this so-called message?” the guard queried.

Barry didn’t know how to proceed. So he rambled on with the truth as unbelievable as it sounded. “A fox, that was hurt, who said he got it from a hedgehog who said it was about a magician named Hyde that the king needed to know about.”

On hearing the name Hyde, there was a change in the facial expression of the guard. He was no longer confident in his stance; there was a touch of worry and concern as he lowered his weapon, made a complete about-face and ordered Barry to follow. 

Barry was led into the palace. He was led through an immense door laden with gold.  He walked through halls with portraits of ancient rulers and sculptures of knights and warriors past; passed large banquet rooms and smaller storage holdings and ended up at the royal reception room itself.  The walls were 20 feet high shrouded in red velvet drapes. Other than that there was little furniture except for the royal thrones centered on the far wall. The King sat upon one throne and the other was empty.

The guard explained to the king what Barry had said and handed the message to him. The king glared at Barry with a penetrating eye, then opened and read the message. The king demanded that Barry repeat his story. This time, Barry told the king all that had happened to him since he came home that day. 

The king listened intently. When Barry was done, the king stood up and spoke.

“What the fox said was true. No one enters Selat unless they are needed. And indeed you are needed. The hedgehog that gave the fox the message was a spy of mine. His task was to find the magician. If the hedgehog had been found out, he likely would have been killed which is why he enlisted the aid of the fox and the fox of you to deliver this message.  The message reveals the location of Hyde’s captives. 

Barry questioned, “Why is its location so important and what do I have to do with it?”

The king answered, “For years we knew of Hyde’s activities of enslaving people and others, but since these people meant nothing to us, we didn’t feel it was necessary to find them. The queen, however, a more compassionate person, was very interested in not only finding them but saving them from whatever Hyde’s nefarious intentions were. I humored the queen and made a small effort to find out information, but none was forthcoming. That all changed when the queen disappeared. This, I was sure the work of Hyde and sent out spies, both animal and human, to find his location. Lucky for us one of them found you.” 

The king continued, “Since the magician knows everyone from Selat, it would be hard to get to him undetected. However, you are not known, therefore it seems that fate has determined that I choose you to be the savior of the queen and those that have been enslaved by Hyde and put an end to his plans. Good luck!”

Barry had no time to protest. He was given the message, which included a map to Hyde’s location, a knife to protect himself, and a flashlight. He was quickly escorted out of the palace and back into the area where he had been found by the guard. The escort also wished him luck and then left Barry alone to ponder what to do next.

to be continued in M is for Mistake

 

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A to Z Challenge 2020: J is for Jam

Posted on April 11, 2020 by hdh

J is for Jam

I love jam. My favorite types are the ones that have pieces of fruit in them, some might call them preserves. 

For the last 30 years or so, I spend time during my summers making my own jams. It usually starts in late May/early June when fresh strawberries come out at the farms. I go out and pick the berries myself, or with my wife and gather enough so that we can have some fresh with our cereals and fruit bowls and some for making jams. 

I particularly like making low sugar jams, so I use powdered pectin called Mrs. Wages Lite Fruit Pectin. The difference between Lite and Regular pectin is that regular Mrs. Wages Fruit Pectin uses about 7-8 cups of sugar per batch, which usually makes about 7 half-pints of jam and her lite version uses only 2-3 cups of sugar (not sugar substitute) for the same amount of finished jams. The final product still tastes very sweet. 

As the summer goes on, I build my jam collection by using different fruits as they become available and mixing different fruits to make combination jams. 

Flavors that I have made include strawberry/rhubarb jam, apricot jam, sour cherry jam, red (black) raspberry jam, blackberry jam, raspberry (blackberry)/peach jam, triple berry and ultra berry jam (these involve some combination of raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries), apricot/pineapple and apricot/mango (which requires me to use some store-bought fruits), pineapple/mango, strawberry/mango, and blueberry/peach. There are others that I have experimented with. Whenever I go to a farmstand that sells jam, I’m always looking for ideas by checking the flavors they sell. 

These jams usually last us an entire year, sometimes longer. We not only eat them ourselves, but we also use them as gifts to neighbors, friends, and family.

There are times when the jams that I make don’t quite end up the way I want them to. Kiwis, for example, do not make a good jam combination. 

This past year in particular for the first several batches of jam, I mistakenly used Mrs. Wages Fruit Pectin instead of the Lite version. I didn’t realize that I had purchased the wrong one and didn’t read the directions since I already knew how to make it. As it turns out, it is the sugar content that impacts the gelling of the jam. So when you only put 2 cups of sugar into a batch that calls for 7 cups of sugar, you end up with a final product that is more syrupy and pourable. They still canned properly and tasted the same, but were more suited for ice cream, waffle, and pancake toppings. It also worked well in yogurt. Luckily after 3 batches of this loose jam, I realized my mistake and the rest of the summer’s batches were normal. 

A couple of years ago we had to replace the oil burner in our basement. The installers carting the new boiler into the basement from the garage were kind of careless and bumped into the shelving unit that held all of our jars of jam, knocking a quantity of them onto the concrete floor, decreasing the number of jars we had that year. The following year when we had to have our hot water heater replaced, I moved all of the jars on those shelves, before the same people from the year before rolled in the new heater. 

We still periodically purchase store and farm jams, but we prefer homemade ones. Farm and supermarket jams/preserves are too sweet for my taste.

I’m looking forward to the summer canning season again. This time on top of the usual kinds, I want to explore some new flavors, like cranberry and sweet cherries. Time will tell. At least this time I know to read the box of pectin I’m using more carefully.

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A to Z Challenge 2020: I is for Ignorant

Posted on April 10, 2020 by hdh

I is for Ignorant

“You are so dumb.” 

“Are you even listening to me? What an ignoramus!”

“What an ignorant fool you are. Do you even know how to think?”

“I can’t believe how stupid he is; totally ignorant.”

“The facts are right there; how can they be so ignorant?”

 

Have you ever heard those statements or ones like them? Were you ever the one that said them? I have to admit, I’ve been on both ends of having those words used. I’ve even told stories (folktales) about characters who appear to be ignorant. Isn’t the lion ignorant in the Aesop fable of the “Lion and the Mouse”? He laughs at the thought of a puny mouse thinking it might save him one day. And then there’s the Jack tale I tell, “Foolish Jack” where Jack does everything his mother says in order to bring home wages that he’s been paid for a days work; of course, he doesn’t think about each situation, he just follows what his mother last told him, to disastrous results, until the end where it does work out for him. Was he ignorant?  How stupid was it to pour a bucket of milk in your pants pocket to bring it home?

Lately, I’ve come to look at things from a different perspective on using the term ‘ignorant’ and similar terminology after listening to an interview by storyteller Simon Brooks of another noted storyteller Eshu Bumpus.

The dictionary definition of ignorant is: lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated.

Okay, is someone who has the ability to look up facts that explain or verify some information that they lack knowledge of and chooses not to look them up ignorant, negligent, apathetic, or just stubborn and closed-minded? Here, the emphasis is on choice. They have the ability to learn and not be uninformed but choose to be set in their own thoughts and opinions.

What about Jack? Is he truly ignorant and have no understanding of the world around him? Is he lazy and just doesn’t want to think?  Or could he be on the spectrum of autism and that’s the way he functions, yet has a great understanding of other things?

Do you get where I’m going? Calling someone or some group ignorant is a surface term that has no true meaning. One can be ignorant of something because they haven’t been exposed to it; because they choose not to buy into the facts that underlie it; because they don’t have the background knowledge to understand it; because they are mentally challenged due to natural or environmental conditions. I’m sure there are many other examples that might explain why you would want to refer to someone as ignorant. But without the background information to help define that person’s behaviors and thought processes, it is unfair to label them ignorant…IMHO. In fact, in most of those cases, the term ignorant is just plain wrong.

I do feel sorry for the people that are so stuck in their ways and choose to be ignorant by refusing to look at things from objective points of view. Unfortunately, that is intentionally or unintentionally how they choose to be. They are probably the ones that are more likely to label someone else as ignorant.

So I resolve now that when I tell a story like “Foolish Jack” I don’t end the story by calling him ‘foolish’ or ‘stupid’ or ‘ignorant’, but by saying, “That’s just the way he was.” 

And that’s what I got from the interview of Eshu Bumpus. There are a people in the listening audience that might identify with those kinds of characters in my stories because they see themselves as doing some of the same things as Jack, and are helped by realizing that it is okay to be the who they are and not the label that they might be called. Those people don’t necessarily have a choice and I’m glad I am helping them. I’d be ignorant to do it any other way.

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A to Z Challenge 2020: H is for Hunted

Posted on April 9, 2020 by hdh

This is a continuation of B is for Birthday. It was followed by F is for Follow. You may want to read them first if you haven’t already. 

H is for Hunted

Barry and the fox went deeper into the forest following only a route that the fox knew. It was made a little difficult for Barry as he was not a fox and for parts of the route he had to crouch low. This was even more complicated since he was also carrying the fox. 

After about an hour of traveling, they stopped for a rest. It was then that they heard the sound. Clearly something or someone was following them. The fox asked to be put down and he limped off, through the brush, after telling Barry to remain completely still and silent. A short time later the fox returned. 

“It’s one of his guards,” the fox whispered.

“Whose guards? And why is he following us?” was Barry’s reply.

“Hyde, the evil magician of Selat. He is having me followed because he suspects that I’m going to tell the King that I know where he holds his victims. No one in the kingdom knows this secret. But I found a hedgehog that knew. The hedgehog gave me a message to give to the king, which is why I’m going there. The magician must want me not to get there. The fire that led you here was no accident. Hyde must have started it to drive you into the forest, where it is easy to get lost and captured. I was lucky to find you first.”

“So what do we do?”

“I can no longer lead you through the forest. You’ll have to find your way to the king yourself. But I can give you directions. I will also give you the message to give to the king. I trust that you will be successful. Let the one who is following us, follow me; I’ll go in a different direction and try to lose him. Give me a 10-minute start and then move as quickly and quietly as you can. Good luck.”

After giving Barry the directions to the king’s palace, the fox took off, silently at first, but then making enough noise in his travels to ensure that he would be followed. 

Barry waited for more than ten minutes until he could no longer hear anyone in the forest and then he went on, following the directions that the fox had given him. He stopped periodically and listened for any sound of followers. He finally came to a clearing; there in front of him stood the palace of the king. Also standing in front of him was a guard from the palace pointing a weapon right at him. 

“Don’t you read signs!” threatened the guard.

 

to be continued in K is for King

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A to Z Challenge 2020: G is for Guitar

Posted on April 8, 2020 by hdh

Google Images gave me the prompt for today’s writing. Rather than reinvent the wheel to write this, I’m sharing a piece that I wrote in 2014, with a few revisions, that fits the topic to a T, or should I say to a G.

I was always somewhat musically inclined. I had taught myself how to play the harmonica when I was 7 years old. My parents had me take piano lessons when I was a little older. That lasted only a few years. When I started Junior High School I joined the band and learned how to play trumpet. Taking the trumpet home, I figured out how to make all the notes of a scale, but got no credit for my effort which is probably why I only last 2 years on the trumpet before the band teacher dropped me from band. 

But when I was 13 years old my sister and future brother-in-law gave me a guitar as a birthday present. .

I watched a show on television about how to play the guitar. Though I never took any lessons, after a year or two I was able to play a few Kingston Trio songs, “Tom Dooley” being one of them. I kept the guitar until I went to college. In college one of my roommates was a guitar player. He played quite well. Despite the fact that he and I did not get along very well he did manage to teach me a few more things about playing guitar. I’m not sure what finally became of the guitar, but by the time I had finished college it no longer existed and I felt no desire to get a new one.

It was my second year of teaching that I was introduced to The British Integrated Day classroom. This was a 5-day course at C.W. Post College that I took where I learned how to enhance my teaching by adding arts and music to the curriculum and integrating different academics together to create incredible projects. Part of the course was to sing each day. I recalled how much I had enjoyed playing music when I was younger and decided I would incorporate singing of folksongs in my classroom teaching that year.

The first time I began, I had no musical instrument as support, so I decided to do an a cappella round that I had learned in my British Integrated Day class, “Ah Ram Sha Sha”. I was impressed how well the 6th graders that I was teaching got into the song. I decided that I needed an instrument for backup. So a guitar it was. A colleague of mine got me a cheap guitar as a gift and from that day on I would sing with my classes each week.

A few years later another Middle School teacher introduced me to the Philadelphia Folk Festival and I became further hooked on folk music. I decided to get myself a decent guitar, which I did and still use to this day. I still sing some of the songs that I sang back when I started playing in school. One of the oldest ones I learned is “The Cat Came Back” which surprisingly is always requested when I walk into a school or class that I’ve been in before, even after many years. See “Remember That Song.” Going back to my beginnings I’ve even been able to play harmonica while I play guitar.

What started as a thoughtful gift from my family to encourage me to pursue and enhance the talent that I had displayed has grown into an integral part of me and something that I continue to grow with as I pursue my career of storyteller and performer.

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A to Z Challenge 2020: F is for Follow

Posted on April 7, 2020 by hdh

This is a continuation of B is for Birthday. You may want to read that first if you haven’t already. 

F is for

Barry looked around trying to figure out what to do. The decision was made for him when he realized why the grass was luminescent. The glowing grass changed from green to yellow and blazed up into fiery red as the field erupted in fire. Barry could feel the heat rise up around him. Walls of flame covered the field on all sides except for a path directly in front of him, that maintained the grassy ground cover, seemingly unaffected by the fire. That path led straight ahead to the forest in the distance. 

Barry moved forward on the path. With each step, flames filled in the areas behind him that he vacated.  By the time he reached the forest, the fire encompassed the entire field. For some reason, it left the forest alone. 

Stepping into the forest, he continued on the path. He stopped when he noticed movement to his right. On closer examination, Barry found a fox limping slowly in the same direction that he was going just off of the path. 

Barry’s first thought was to run, concerned that the fox was dangerous. But looking deep into the fox’s eyes he could see sadness, worry, and concern. Was the fox in danger? Was the fox concerned and sad about itself or Barry? Why was it limping? Should Barry help the fox? 

The fox crept slowly towards Barry. Barry stood still, getting ready to run if needed and then to Barry’s surprise, the fox spoke, “Please, help me. I’ve a message for the king. I was caught up in the fire and injured my leg. Can you help me get to the king? It is important that this message reaches him.”

Getting over his astonishment of a talking fox, Barry responded, “I have no idea where I am or how I got here. I would help you if I knew where I was going.”

“I can help you with some of that,” said the fox, “You are in the kingdom of Selat. It is said that you can only get here if you are needed. How exactly you got here and why you might be needed, I cannot answer. Perhaps the king might be able to help. I can lead you to him, but you might have to carry me.”

Barry thought about what the fox said and was about to agree to help when he noticed a sign posted on a tree in front of him. The sign read, 

 

Beware those entering the forest. All those found within this forest without permission shall be executed.

by order of the King 

 

Now Barry was worried and nervously said, “I’m not sure I want to risk my life in the forest, based on what the sign says.” 

Looking behind him, Barry could still see the glow of the fire and the darkening cloud of smoke overhead as the wind blew in his direction. The way ahead was still clear. “But I guess I have no choice,” was Barry’s lament.

He picked up the fox and following its directions, went off of the path deeper into the forest. 

 

to be continued in H is for Hunted

 

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