Ding Dong...

So, it's Saturday. Who came to your door this morning? Perhaps a pair of Mormons? Maybe some Jehovah's Witnesses? Maybe a kind police officer asking if I was the owner of a 2001 silver Honda Accord that is currently in South Dakota? In case you were wondering, #3 was my morning scenario.

Jason is turkey hunting with his brother and his friends in the Black Hills. He is at a remote cabin with no cell phone coverage, a downed phone line due to 36 inches of snow that fell Thursday night, and no electricity. It does have a generator, so, no, he's not really roughing it...it is on a dirt road if that counts? The reason I know that 36 inches of snow fell Thursday night is because Jason called me Friday to tell me that they had dug out of the cabin to the road for 7 hours, got to town to fill up his friend's truck, and were heading back to the cabin.

The Officer asked if it was our car. I said yes, my husband and his friend drove it to meet his brother and their good friends to go turkey hunting for the weekend. He said a State Trooper found it just off the road. I asked if Jason was in the car. He said it was abandoned. I told him they had made it to the remote cabin before the storm got too bad and I had heard from him yesterday morning. Heart rate beginning to elevate a little, but assured in my heart he was just fine...

O: "Have you heard from him today?"

M: "No."

M: "I spoke with him yesterday, though. I'm sure he's fine." (FINE is a relative term...yes, he's alive, but when he gets home...NOT SO FREAKING FINE!)

O: "Is there a way that you can get in contact with him or is there an address at the cabin, perhaps a phone number?"

M: "Do you mind waiting right here, Officer, I am going to go call some of the other wives? I'm sure when they dug out yesterday they just pulled his car out to the road so they could actually leave to come home (to my loving arms and swift kick in the pants) tomorrow."

I go make a billion frantic calls. Not one wife is available. And, because I love my mother in law, one of my best friends, so dearly, I don't really want to call her for the address because, GEE, TOMORROW IS THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HER HUSBAND'S DEATH, STEVE, WHO WAS AN AVID HUNTER, HER TWO SONS ARE AT THAT SNOWED IN CABIN, AND SHE'S BEEN THROUGH THE LACK OF HUNTER'S COMMUNICATION FOR OVER 37 YEARS NOW...WHY DRAG HER INTO THIS EARLY MORNING EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER!? #$%^&*? But, of course, she's the only woman available to answer her phone, so, I try to ask casually, but her mom's heart starts beating, too. Then, she rocks the free world and gets on the horn to everyone and their dog and finds the address and phone number of where these boys, (yes, though, grown, they are boys), are staying.

O: "I'm sure it's as you have said. I will radio the State Patrol near Deadwood and give them this information."

M: "You should probably pray for Jason, too, since he's likely never going turkey hunting again."

O: "Will do, ma'am."

All is well. Apparently they are having the time of their lives. Really enjoying each other's company. I found this out through my mother-in-law who found out from her best friend who is the mom of one guy and the wife of another.

Jason, if you secretly have Internet at the cabin, please email me or drive to town and call your freaking wife, please, Sweetheart!

Believe me, he's not leaving town without me for a l o n g time...