Tuesday, July 8, 2008

This Ain't No Bull!





I grew up in rural LA. Honest. I did! For those who didn’t know LA had a rural area, it does, when LA stands for Lower Alabama!

We lived about six miles outside of town, a very small town of about 8,000 people. On one side of our house was woods, on another side was an area where our neighbor grew corn, and behind my house was a pasture—where cows grazed. Oh, and there was one bull!

We loved going into the pasture. Most of the time, the cows and bull didn’t bother us. I think they were as scared of us as we were of them. However, I remember one day in particular, when the bull took exception to us being in “his” pasture.” Out of nowhere, the bull decided to charge my brother and me. As he did, we took off running. It quickly became clear that we could not outrun the bull. So, we began to look for a nearby tree to climb. All of the trees were too high and there were no branches low enough to reach.

Well, the bull continued to gain on us and we continued to run. We finally saw a tree that had branches too high to reach, but we ran toward the tree anyway. I think we were still trying to decide what to do. Well, believe it or not, we both jumped and landed on the first branch, just out of the reach of that angry bull. He stayed around for a few minutes before finally leaving us alone. I think he knew he had made his point!

Needless to say, we were much more careful the next time we strolled through the pasture! And, when we saw the bull coming, we went the other direction. Fast!

That’s what makes the annual story out of Pamplona, Spain, so crazy. Yesterday, crazy daredevils kicked off the running of the bulls through the streets of Pamplona. Yesterday alone, nine people suffered bumps and bruises. Fortunately, no one was gored.

The entire run takes about four minutes to complete. Monday’s run was the first of eight scheduled runs. Since record-keeping began in 1924, 14 runners have died, the last was an American, in 1995.

I’ll never be in the number of people who are trampled, bruised, or gored during that run. I will never be in the crowd of people to watch in person the running of the bulls—after all, all it takes is for one bull to lose his sense of direction and go after the crowd instead of the runners!

So, I’ll stay home, I think, and to be honest, not even watch the action on TV. Heck, once you’ve seen a person gored, do you really want to see another person gored? Not me! There’s already enough “gory” TV on! Sorry about that, that was just too easy of a pun to let it go.

So, does running with the bulls interest you? Would you ever try it?

10 comments:

  1. This is a "name your caption" picture. Several come to mind:
    "Isn't there an easier way to have a colonoscopy?"
    "You don't have get so frisky. All you had to do was tap me on the shoulder."
    "Ouch!"

    So the bull made his point? No pun intended I am sure. Or is it you and your brother got the point?

    I personally think these people are nuts. Ain't no way I would do this...wild at heart or not!

    Oh yeah...I like that discreetly placed towel on your son's bath picture. :)

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  2. Okay, too funny! I especially like (is that the right word?) your first one!

    And, as far as the bath picture goes, my wife was into this "let's take some pictures of him getting a bath" moods. So, I gave in, with one requirement, he had to retain his dignity, both for now and as he gets older! Some things should just be left to the imagination!

    We'll save the naked pictures until he really needs to be brought back down to earth! :)

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  3. We have one of our oldest daughter when she was a baby getting a bath. We held it over her. :) Blackmail works wonders! You will learn that!

    I have a question for you Steve. I look at your clock and it says you are an hour behind us. If we are in the same time zone, how can that be? Or is it...? Naaahh I won't go there.

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  4. We are central time, I believe you are eastern time, right? You guys really have trouble keeping time up there! That's all I can say!

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  5. I used to run from BULL every week at s few churches! :)

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  6. I'm still running from as much bull as I can! Not easy in the profession that chose us! Is it?

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  7. Don't you just want to throw some of that back at them too?

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  8. Bill, my shoulders are sore now from all the throwing...

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  9. Dude. There are some things even Preparation H ain't gonna help!!!!!

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