The Deer at Hat Creek

When I was a little boy, Daddy and I often fished and hunted the mountains. Once we were silently sitting in nature becoming the landscape and fitting into the magic. We were beside Hat Creek before dawn. At daybreak, we could see our surroundings. Soon deer came to the water before heading back into the safety of the forest or higher ground - a few bucks, several does, yearlings and two fawns. The fawns watched as mom and dad waded out a few steps and drank deeply. I went and looked at their tracks later. They were smaller than an arrowhead, but their reaction to seeing the water fascinated me. Water presented a visual structure that could be walked on, but mom and dad had walked in it, not on it. They stood back and studied. A brave one walked to the water cautiously. The other one came along side. Their ears and senses alert, they wondered about this thing water. The brave one stepped out and touched the water like a kitten might do, softly. He recoiled! Then they gathered their bravery and tried again. The foot touched the water, but went down until it touched earth. They recoiled again. Presently they gathered the will to do as the other older deer and step into the new experience. Soon both were in the very shallow water. One touched the water with its nose and must have screamed in deer language, because the entire herd vanished in a moment, fawns included. I feel like a dawn-fawn at the creek edge while dealing with technology. Babe