THE COYOTE MONOLOGUES- THE OLD COYOTE

He was walking carefully, putting down one foot at a time, trying not to break through the thin crust on the snow. The scrawny old coyote had watered up at the tank in the back corral and was on the search for his breakfast. I leaned against the barn door and watched him. He knew I was there. He set back on his haunches and looked over at me with an expression that said, “Okay, I just took a drink of your water and now I’m leaving. So what are you going to do about it?”

I let him know by my own expression that I wasn’t going to do anything. Even though coyotes and ranchers are sworn enemies, I felt sorry for him. A foot and a half of snow had the fields and fence lines buried for the couple of weeks and no doubt he hadn’t had a decent meal for quite a while. Last night had been bitter cold, down around minus ten.

Although he was wearing his full winter coat, it looked rough and I could see he was suffering some.

He went on, breaking through the snow now and then, checking under the pine trees hoping to find a foolish field mouse or two. Skirting the open pasture, sniffing and listening at every rock pile and bush, his luck was still holding-still all bad.

I have a neighbor that lives back in about a half-mile behind my place. I watched the coyote until he went out of sight in that direction. I hoped he could find better pickings there than he did here.

The day was actually quite pretty with the white, white snow covering everything. The dark green, almost black of the pine trees and the gray of the sky making it look like a monochrome world, highlighted by the solitary of the aloneness of the old coyote, trying to survive a life and death winter. The whole scene sobered me a little. It kind of signified everyman’s struggle to survive whatever life dishes out. He often has to set aside dreams and goals and concentrate on what’s necessary to keep body and soul attached. Sometimes we all have to just tighten up our belts, keep the faith and stick to the basics until a brighter sun shines.

COYOTE AGAIN

I saw the old coyote again this morning. Coyotes are hard to tell apart but I knew it was the same one. They are like buffalo, magpies and girls, they all look alike until you get to know them better. I knew him because he was the only one that I ever saw at my water tank.  He looked some different, much better in fact. His fur coat looked cleaner and fluffier, and he seemed stronger and more alert.

We have been enjoying a break in the winter weather the last few days. A Chinook wind coupled with forty-degree temperatures have rotted the snow down to the ground in places. Bare patches are showing in the fields and around the pine trees. Snow is all but gone from the rock piles and I’m guessing that mouse-hunting has been more lucrative lately.

We saw each other at about the same time. This time though he was a little more wary and headed for the trees at the back of my pasture at a long trot. Breaking through the snow was still a problem and he soon gave that up. He stopped, sat down and took a long look at me. Realizing that I wasn’t a real threat, he ignored me and went back to scouting under the pine trees for a meal.

I’ll have to admit, I was somewhat relieved. I’ll call a truce as long as he sticks to the field mice and doesn’t eat the blue-collar, working class barn cats. The coyote has survived the downturn in his personal economy and is in the recovery mode. His future is looking up. I guess this kind of supports my theory that, “When the going gets tough you have to tighten up your belt, ignore the pain, tend to the basics and you’ll make it through.” You’ll probably be a little leaner and a little tougher but better equipped to handle the next down turn when it comes.

My sage comment is, whatever the circumstances, “Life Goes On.”