It wasn't on the schedule, but I had cash on me and the kids happened to ask. Turned off our regular driving route to go visit the corner farm cafe when we saw him in the road.
After guiding two oncoming cars and unsuccessfully reaching a local friend with 4 boys who knew and lived on the creek, I gulped and ACCEPTED THIS TASK as MY OWN:
ACT OF KINDNESS FOR ONE IN NEED.
He looked like he snapped,and I've never handled a turtle before, but I had an oversized towel in my truck.
12"long plus an 8" tail...AT LEASSST 15 pounds (felt heavier than my minpin dog), guy had girth, this fudger was BI-HI-HIGGGG and his prehistoric dinausaur-like tail instilled a little natural fear in me. He dug his razor long claws deep into the gravel road with the force of a rhino, but guess what?
I DID IT! I GUIDED HIM BACK ON PATH.
And turns out this shorty knew my intention bc he didn't try to bite me, instead he glanced back gratefully with eyes and a wry smile telling me he's off to "somethin", an expression just like Jack Nicholson; An expression so funny it took me aback and made me laugh. He took off toward the creek at rabbit speed & was gonnnnne.
If I knew he could move that fast would I have tried to save him? Probably because as an animal lover I couldn't resist- channeled my inner Steve Irwin and helped out.
Btw later I learned this not the way to carry a snapping turtle but he lived and I gained an exhilarating experience:
CARVE TIME FOR NATURE &
MAKE TIME FOR OTHERS ...
