Show and Tell

Getting to school when we moved to the country was somewhat problematic. At first, we lived at the end of a long dirt road that only cars and horses could travel. The school would not send a bus down that road to get my brothers and me. After a few years, the right of way for a direct road to our house was negotiated. The result was another shorter dirt road which was passable when dry. During the early days of the new road, it was not uncommon to leave the car stuck on the first hill. After the road dried, we could forego the half mile trek through mud to get home.

The school officials decided we could catch the bus where the new road turned off the main county road. So every morning we would wait for the bus and sometimes look around the creek bank near the bus stop.

One morning a movement near the creek caught our attention. When we went closer, we saw the biggest turtle any of us had seen outside of a zoo. It didn't take long to figure out where the name “snapping turtle” originated. This turtle had an attitude. We were familiar with the turtles that would travel in slow motion and retract its appendages when someone came near. This turtle acted like he wanted to amputate our appendages. We tried putting different sized sticks near him, and he could slice most of them with little effort.

“I know what we should do,” I said, “We could take him to school and let everybody see this thing!” We looked for a container for him with no success. “The bus won't be here for another fifteen minutes. Maybe I can find a bucket at the house.”

I ran as fast as I could to the house and found a five gallon paint bucket. After I got back to the bus stop, we put the turtle in the bucket. This was easy. We held a stick near him and he clamped onto it, then we lifted him into the bucket by using the stick as a turtle handle.

The bus pulled up and as the doors opened, we saw “Preacher" Meadows at the wheel. He always wore a pressed white shirt and a dress hat. As my brothers were climbing the steps, Mr. Meadows was greeting us. “How are the Murphys today?” When I got to the top step he saw the bucket in my hand and said “Whoa! What have you got in the bucket?”

“It's a turtle. I thought I would take it and show my teacher.”

As “Preacher" Meadow looked down into the bucket, I could tell he wasn't in agreement with my plan.

“Get that thing off the bus before it hurts somebody!” he exclaimed.

I had no choice but to leave my exhibit near the creek. My teacher and the kids in my class never knew what they had missed out on. I still believe he would have created a lot of excitement.

(Here is a video of one of these varmints: https://youtu.be/GO1HD3ebuZs