So, my buddy Bob & me went camping out at my place in the woods (this happened several years ago when I owned 5 acres of land located in the middle of Davy Crockett National Forest in East Texas). We had a great time -- enjoying the great outdoors, hearing the wind whispering through the giant Loblolly pines, watching squirrels chase each other, listening to the birds, fishing in a natural pond, etc. But, all good things come to an end, and all too soon it was time to pack up and head back to the big city.
So we loaded up our sparse supplies and started hiking back to the car, which was parked about 2 miles away from the place where we were camping. As we walked, it stared getting darker and darker. Out in that vast forest, it gets very dark very quickly once the sun goes down. Soon, it was pitch black and we had to use flashlights to see the trail.
As we wandered along, we heard something trailing us. We figured it had to be some sort of animal. In fact, it sounded like there were probably at least 3 animals, and from the noise they were making, it sounded like it was probably large animals.
You have to remember, Bob & I are city boys. We don't know a lot about the woods, the wilderness, or anything related to nature. So, Bob really starts to panic.
"Rob, that's got to be a pack of wolves on our trail," Bob says, with genuine fear in his voice. "I know there's wolves in these woods, cause I remember overhearing the guy at the store in Apple Springs (the nearest town) talking about them. Man, we've got to climb a tree, and I mean quick. It's our only chance."
Well, one good thing about tramping through the woods, you don't have to search very long to find a good sturdy tree to climb. So, we quickly found a stout-looking oak with low hanging limbs and I led the way up the tree.
I vividly remember Bob pushing on my rump, speaking in a hoarse whisper: "Would you hurry it up, dude. The wolves are getting closer and I'm low enough for them to jump on."
Well, after a considerable amount of struggling, heaving and groaning, we got high enough up that tree so that we felt like we would be safe. The wolf pack was very close, making a lot of noise, and it felt good to be in a safe place, even if it meant we might have to spend a very uncomfortable night up a tree.
Soon, the moon shed some light through the canopy of the trees. Lo and behold, the wolf pack turned out to be nothing but one lone armadillo -- rooting around in the dry leaves foraging for food.
It's amazing how much noise one armadillo can make. Of course, when you're city boys wandering around way out in the woods on a dark night, every little sound is amplified.
Anyway, Bob & I just looked at each other and started laughing. "You big goofus, why did you freak out and panic like that?" I said to Bob as we started to descend from the tree. "Well, you thought it was a pack of wolves, just like I did," he answered. "Nah, I knew it was not wolves, I was just playing along to be a sport," I replied. "Yeah, sure. I know better. You're just a big greenhorn city slicker just like me and you were just as scared as I was." "Nah, not me. I'm telling you, I just climbed the tree because you were in such a big hurry."
And on and on we bantered back and forth until we made it to the safety of the car and started heading back to civilization. Anyway, those of you who have ever come across an armadillo foraging in the woods know how much noise those critters can make. So, please don't be too harsh in your judgment of a couple of city slickers who got treed by a harmless armadillo.
