Dan, I Am?

Forrest Gump is one of the coolest movies ever.  If you have not seen it, what in the world is wrong with you?  

Spoiler Alert!

Basically, this simpleton, played by Tom Hanks, lives an extraordinary life. He survives a crippling childhood condition, show Elvis moves, plays college football, saves his platoon in Vietnam,  becomes a ping-pong champ, meets multiple Presidents, starts a shrimp company, runs his butt off (multiple cross-country trips), gets rich on Apple computer, marries a trainwreck named Jenny (the love of his whole life), and has a kid with her before she dies.  Great movie.  Tragically sad and very fun at the same time. It is a must see. 

A great character of the movie is Lt. Dan Taylor (left in the picture).  (The fact that Gary Sinese got screwed out of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is not the point here.)  His whole family has members that have died in all the American wars dating back to the Revolutionary War.  After his platoon got jumped in 'Nam, Forrest Gump saves him.  Lt. Dan loses his legs, falls into depression and over the years refinds himself.  By the end of the movie, he has "new legs" and gets a squeeze.  

A defining moment of his life is when Hurricane Carmen is destroying the Gulf.  Dan, strapped onto the mast of Gump's shrimp boat (they are partners at this point) is challenging the storm.  He is staring life in the face and life can't get him.  All the while, he is rocking and swaying like you would not believe. A lesser person would have died up there, or at least puked their guts out.  

That could have been me this morning.

With license in hand, gear ready to go, and my bow tuned, Kevin and I were to head off to Lenawee county for some deer hunting. With a tree stand lashed tin place about 12 feet off the ground in 15-20 mph winds, I can only imagine that I  would have been Lt. Dan, rocking and rolling for hours.  Flinging arrows with any hope of accuracy would have been even more silly.  Light rain was moving in the area, too. While light showers do not match the power of a  category 4 hurricane, it would have sucked just the same, I'm sure. Oh, it was quite chilly, too.

Needless to say, we bailed.  With all the obscene weather, the deer likely would have done would we did - change plans. We spent breakfast at Cracker Barrel.   Deer?  They would have likely hunkered down in a bramble or some such thing; those bucks  perhaps looking for their "Jenny."

So, the thought pf swaying trees and rain were enough to keep us out of the woods and prevent me from doing my Lt. Dan Taylor impersonation. 

For now.....