Watch out for whitetails

It seems almost impossible that in 12 years of living in southwest Minnesota, and more than four years in a job that involves a lot of driving, I've never been in a car accident with a deer. Heck, I'm usually reluctant to even say anything on the subject, for fear I'll jinx myself. But this weekend I finally had a close call, so my lucky streak is probably over anyhow.

I was driving home from the fish house parade in Hendricks on Saturday night, and was approaching some of the last big hills along Highway 19, before the terrain flattens out again close to Marshall. Up ahead at the base of a hill, but just beyond the reach of my headlights, I saw something light-colored in the middle of the road. I thought it was a roadkill deer or maybe a big raccoon carcass, and I started to slow down and pull over a little to avoid running over whatever it was. Ironically, that may have saved my car and me, because the pale object turned out to be the fluffy white hindquarters of a live deer.

I hit the brakes and was able to stop with maybe a car length or less between me and the deer. Bambi was just standing over the center line the whole time, and of course he waited until *after* I stopped to freak out and scramble across the road. I think I must have driven the last 10 miles or so to Marshall at a snail's pace. My shoulder is still a little bit sore from the seatbelt.