Six Creatures I Nearly Hit Every Night

If you love animals and can’t stomach the idea of them being hurt, do not read the following. I love animals, but I love writing more, and I can’t pass up a good story. I’ve listed the following in order most often encountered to least often encountered.

Rabbits

Usually, I’ll see these guys dart across one at a time. One time, I had my window down and was driving at a moderate speed when a rabbit shot from the left straight toward my left steering tire. There was a crunching sound. I’m pretty sure that guy didn’t make it. Just recently, I saw a rabbit cross followed by a hawk. The hawk diverted his flight as I approached so the rabbit may be lucky for another night.

Deer

Sometimes I see deer every night. Most of the time, they’re off in the grass on the side of the road frozen in place. Everytime I see them I honk. I hope that the sound helps to orient them to the big, moving, dangerous object: my truck. When they jump into the road from nowhere, however, there’s not much I can do. Two of these animals have met their demise since I started six months ago. I know what they’re thinking too. They’re trying to navigate nervously in the dark when they come to that impasse in their path. Then light slowly brightens the path before them. Now that they can see, what a great time to move. 

Frogs

I see these little guys try to hop it across the road before my eighteen wheels pass. Reminds me of the old Atari game. The come out especially when it rains.

Skunks

These cute little creatures don’t run very quickly, but somehow I’ve managed to avoid turning them into road stripes so far. They always head away from my headlights and exit the roadway.

Hogs

We have these black wild hogs here in Texas the run around at night. They’re top speed isn’t very fast in my observations and even while traveling slowly on a lease road, I nearly hit on as it trailed a group.

Cows

Sometimes while on a property, cows will roam around freely. On several occasions, they decided to stand in the roadway. Un-intimidated by my approach, some stood there. I honked the big Horn several times. I revved the engine. They didn’t get the message. I crept closer until I was almost touching the cow when, finally, she took my bluff and moved.

Once I did see a large heaping carcass on the side of the road. I think it was a bull but it could have been a cow.

The evasive ones

There are a few animals I’ve only seen once or twice. They are shadows in the night. Sometimes a mysterious creature will pass on the very edge of my headlight range and I’ll only know that it was not a familiar animal. I have seen the fox a time or two, and only one time am I sure I saw a bobcat. These are too shy to come close to an impasse with my truck and don’t qualify for my list but I thought the mention might interest you.

Read My Creepy Job

Still waiting for the load, I noticed something crawling between the truck and me. I didn’t have to look too closely to see that it was a…How terrifying to think that thing… could crawl up my suit and I wouldn’t know it until it was close to my head.

https://nutterweb.wordpress.com/2016/10/18/my-creepy-job/