Day 2

Things I wish:

I wish the world were simpler. Minus the plague and disease, I envy the early settlers of North America. Sure life must have been tough, but in a much simpler form. There seems to be something freeing about the idea that your only concerns for the day would be food and shelter, nothing more, nothing less. Kill a buffalo and eat it. Fend yourself off from the wolves or an angry group of natives, these were your worries. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m sure they were great worries, life and death scenarios that were very real. But even being so finite seems to give them a more simplistic character. There are far worse things than death itself.

I wish that I could travel back 50-60 years and go quail hunting with my grandfather. I would love to spend one day walking through the old fields with him watching his bird dogs work. It would bring me great joy to see him as his young man. I would ask him questions about his life and listen with the most earnest ear. I would sit down under the shade of a pecan or oak and share lunch with him while the birds and dogs rested. I wouldn’t tell the younger man that one day all the quail would be gone. I wouldn’t tell him that the world would get more complicated with each passing decade. I also wouldn’t tell him how hard his last years would be. Too much information would rob him of the gusto he had for life. I would be a fool to circumvent any of the things he experienced. He lived a full life and because of that I would change nothing.

I wish that I were richer, not so that I could have expensive, flashy things. But so that I could hunt more without feeling guilty about the obligations I have delayed. I doubt I would buy any more things than I have bought now except for a few of the essential items such as land, a backhoe, a tractor, a house for my wife to maintain while I am out hunting, and maybe just one more shotgun. Kreighoff would be my brand of choice more than likely. Nothing too fancy though, no elaborate engraving, just a few flushing pheasants inlayed in gold on the receiver. The stock would be smithed for my size, 15’’ length of pull slightly kicked right of course.

This should go without mentioning, but the land I bought would have to have upland birds as well as several spots to duck hunt. The perfect farm would allow me enough space to have duck ponds as well as duck fields. I would maintain the rest of the property for upland birds including pheasant, grouse, and possibly quail. Of course, no property would be complete without the opportunity for deer hunting and I couldn’t possibly live without my own private sporting clays course. The land would also provide plenty of room for dog training and even room for my wife’s love of farm animals.

But I’m afraid I am encroaching more into the dreaming side of my mind than just the wishing. But while I’m at it, why not add an old parker double barrel side by side to the list. 16 gauge would work perfectly…