No More–I Am Turning Over A New Leaf

I attract weird people.  I am just a magnet.  If there is an odd, fanatical, bizarre person out there they will find me.  I have had this problem all of my life.  People tell me it is because I am too nice and I need to learn to walk away.  If I am followed then I need to be forceful…

While staying at Blue Spring State Park I listened to a Ranger give a lecture on Manatees.  After the lecture I was singled out by a man.  I mean he walked right towards me and mom like he knew us. He explained how the government was the one who brought the manatee to Florida and how it was a plot to take over Florida.  Then he shouted “She Is the ENEMY!”  He pointed to the ranger and that is when we tried to make an exit but he blocked our way.  He started telling us about how the Manatee was brought over from India and it was not native to Florida.  By this time Mom was inching away and was on her way to a get away.  I was trying to figure out what to do because if I moved he moved, if I took a step he took a step.  Truthfully he was making me a little nervous.  I just humored him a long until I found a way to walk away without making him mad. 

Today it happened again.  I took the nature walk, then I walked down the power line road, and I decided to do the red trail since it was getting late.   Along the way I met two people and the last one was intense.  She stopped and asked me if I knew what time it was.  I told her the time.  She told me it was to late in the day for me to take this hike.  She said it was a long hike – 9 miles and that I needed to turn around and just head back.  I thanked her for her concerned and explained that I was taking the 2 mile hike and I had a watch, a phone, a map, and a phone number.  Then I turned and walked away.  She actually followed me and finally she took the hint that I wasn’t going to talk to her and she said, “Fine I am going to tell the ranger that you are out here.”   I just kept on walking. 

Some of my unforgettable moments when approached by a stranger or a near stranger in the past.

I don’t want to hold your knife.
I don’t want to know why you have to buy underwear before your date and why you returned unopened the next day.
If you were out working with hogs….  I don’t want a hug. FYI  I got the hug and it was eye watering.
I don’t want to know about all the drugs you took in the 70s, man. Far out and peace to you too.
Please don’t follow me to Walmarts, the Catholic Church and then the police station.
No I don’t want to drive your car.
My all time favorite was when I was at the grocery store.  I was approached by a overweight gentleman who was just released from the hospital after being shot in the stomach.  He asked if I wanted to see his gunshot wound and before I could say no…. he lifted his shirt.  Clean up in Aisle 7.

Life is never dull is it? 

Pictures of my hike today!
 

Kitching Creek Nature Trail Jonathan Dickinson State Park	Turkey Oak
	Saw Palmetto – the seeds are edible and were an important food for Native Americans.  Someone said it tasted like rotten cheese….
	Early settlers called this the Fetterbush.  Fetter meaning to restrain.
Armadillo	Kitching Creek – In 1886 the Kitching family bought land around this creek from the State of Florida for $1.25 an acre.
The pines are Slash Pines.  They are found nowhere else in the world.  They were used by the settlers in building their houses.  They were termite proof but you could not hang a picture.	The green plant is the Cabbage Palm in it’s infancy.  It is often mistaken for the Saw Palmetto.  Eventually it will grow quite tall is the state tree of Florida.  The name is derived from the cabbage like heart which was a delicacy for humans, this practice is deadly to the tree.
	Evasive and Exotic (not native to Florida) is the Climbing Fern.
	Ah the stories my little Saguaro Friend could tell…..