Having grown up in a rural setting, I instantly disliked the busy college life in a large city. Constant chatter and traffic noise made it difficult to concentrate and find a peaceful place to reflect on anything, let alone my schoolwork. But graduation had come months before, and with a year of labor under my belt, I was headed home; back to my roots and my grandfather's farm. Grandpa was in a retirement village and I had made arrangements to purchase the homestead on a land contract. To say I was thrilled doesn't come close to how I felt about being back in the open spaces where it was quiet and peaceful.
I had only been back a few weeks and still settling in when a burgundy 4x4 pulled in the lane and parked just outside of the kitchen door. The man who climbed out looked familiar, and I soon recognized him from high school. The quarterback of our football team his junior and senior years, he hadn't changed very much. His brown hair was longer, just touching his shoulders, and his tanned arms bulged inside of his tight t-shirt. He walked toward the door and I stepped outside with a greeting, "Hey Brady! Is that you?" He smiled broadly and extended his hand, taking a firm grip on mine and laughlingly said, "Yea. How you been? I heard you were back in the area."
I welcomed him inside where we sat at the kitchen table, talking about our high school days, teachers we despised and some of our conquests with our female classmates. As we talked, I couldn't help but notice the scent his cologne and his bright white teeth gleaming against his tanned face. His pecs looked like they had been poured into his shirt; the same with his thighs fitting snuggly into his Levi jeans. My mind raced back six years to our high school: seeing him strut down the halls, hearing his deep but soft voice, and reliving the silence that fell across a room whenever he entered. He was very popular and respected, and perhaps the envy of every average guy there.
"Listen", Brady said, leaning forward on his chair toward me. "I've been looking for some property to hunt this fall and wondered if you'd be interested in letting me hunt here. I always clean up after myself, and I have a great respect for nature and keeping things as natural as when I found them." I thought for a moment, then answered, "That sounds like a good proposition. The back woods is secluded and full of rabbit and deer. Feel like taking a walk?" Brady smiled and nodded his head as we stood and started out the door.