Quoted By:
>walk silently through the woods to the deer blind
>grit your teeth as your 8 year old son steps on every dead leaf and tree branch in the forest, but keep going
>get in the deer blind, get the kiddo seated, and shut the door to the plywood structure you built together over the summer and spraypainted camo
>get your son settled in, make sure he has his handwarmer going, thermos of hot chocolate, and breakfast muffin
>open the windows to the blind, chamber a round in your rifle, and sit quietly
>he gets bored easily, so he's playing his Switch while waiting for the sun to come up enough to see
>you remember coming up hunting with your old man when you were his age, such great memories
>you remember the first time your dad shot a deer in front of you, you almost cried when he made you help him gut it
>the only sound is the wind in the trees, the only light the dim glow from your son's screen
>it's cold, but tolerable; good weather
>the deer will definitely be moving soon
>you love hunting, and hope to pass that love to your son
>the peace, the quiet, the solitude...
>"Dad," your son whispers way too loudly
>you nudge him, partly to acknowledge him without making a sound, partly to remind him to stay quiet
>"I have to pee"
>son of a- you told him to do that before you left the cabin!
>sighing, you fumble around in the dark for the empty Gatorade bottle you keep in the blind for just this reason and hand it to him so he can noisily pee like a herd of elephants charging over a cliff
>ah well, you still wouldn't trade these moments for anything
