I don't know if I was more startled or frightened when I stumbled upon that peculiar gathering in the clearing. My hike had taken me to new territory. The compass on my phone was no help, because I was out of range. Of course I was alert to danger...because I was lost. But I don't think that fear influenced my reaction to the happening I witnessed in the clearing.
There had to have been forty raccoons. They gathered around a flat, rotted tree stump. I swear they were sharing hazel nuts. A huge pile of these nuts was evident in the center of the stump. The raccoons would pick up a nut and pass it along until each of them had one. Nobody tried to eat. They just held the nuts until a very large raccoon, obviously the leader, raised its paw and gave a signal. Then, in unison they cracked the nuts on rocks and began to chow down.
Suddenly , one of them spotted me. That raccoon shrieked, which I also did in response. All of them froze, stared at me and then broke into a great group guffaw. They thought I was funny. It didn't take me a second to start running. Where? I don't know.
In time I came across a stream and followed it downhill until I reached a campsite. Then I collapsed. I don't know how long I was out, but when I woke I swore that was the last time I would ever do mushrooms.
This is my entry into the Tuesday freewrite: Family gathering.
