I'm just trying to have a little fun...

My father loved to play tricks on folks and truly he enjoyed them. There are some mixed memories where he scared the living crap out of me, and I do remember his obvious glee. A face drawn up in laughter, but no sound coming out, for a bit, complete with some gasping and tears. My reactions must have been satisfactory for the effort. I think it strengthened my heart, since I’m still alive. I guess that is where it comes from. However, I never have been able to pull it off as slick. I always get folks upset and have come close to getting whipped. One must truly consider the various possibilities that could result from hi-jinks.

Some time ago I borrowed an electronic game caller from a friend. My grand idea was to place it under our wooden deck out back of the house and play a trick on the family. I did just so, and coming in after work, announced I was going to the bathroom. In the john I pulled out the remote control and toggled to “Coyote hunting pack”, low volume. I could hear the caller outside begin to escalate in sound. My wife was first to exclaim “Coyotes are in the back pasture, get the cats inside”. The kids went to the door and called the kitty’s. I proceeded to enrich the volume control. I then heard “they are getting closer”, then “where is Panther, I can’t find Panther” (our prince black barn Tom). By this time, I had the volume up pretty good and it sure enough sounded like a pack of dogs were in the back yard. I heard Roman begin to panic and was rustling around trying to get the shotgun into battery and find a light to go confront the marauders. My daughter was still looking and calling for Panther. That would have been enough, but I took my fun and success too far. I switched the control to “Mountain Lion in Heat”. THAT is quite a sound! Total bedlam broke out in the house outside the door. My wife was beating on the door telling me out come out, “coyotes have Panther caught under the deck!”. The daughter was crying and Roman hurt himself trying to get out the door. Boy was I in trouble. It went from very funny to dead man walking in 2 seconds! Even today it is not a good story to bring up in mixed company. I get in trouble all over again.

Last night, many years afterward, I found my own electronic game caller. Now they all know what it is, but it is still not a popular device around the house. I was testing it on Coyotes mode. My daughter stormed out of her room with a scowl. “Cain jumped off my bed and is now growling, you upset him! Stop that!”. So, I took it outside to test the range on the remote. Our dog Lucy was asleep in the doghouse under the red heat lamp. Carefully I placed it just outside her pen. Beginning on “Coyote hunting pack” I turned it on at the lowest volume. She didn’t move. So, I toggled to dual speaker and high volume. Boy! Poor old dog did a backflip coming out of the doghouse! She was certain a whole pack had snuck up on her territory while she was snoozing! LOL I ramped the volume down slowly to off finally. It really sounded like a pack that was running off into the distance. Poor old Lucy about barked herself hoarse. But I let her think she ran them off. She walked about her pen looking very satisfied. So that’s how I left her. I must be careful where I keep my caller as I have had some serous threats against it.