Yellow Jackets | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Yellow Jackets | Previous Challenge Entry
By Tina Gillette
11/19/09
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It was Saturday morning. My dad was taking my brother and I fishing today. I was eight years old and my brother was almost seven. It was going to be a great day, or so I thought. I had no idea that one particular event that morning would affect me still to this day.

We loaded up the old Chevy pickup with our fishing gear and waved goodbye to mom. Dad started the engine, and as he grabbed the steering wheel he recited his famous saying, “ And we’re off, like a heard of turtles.” He always said that. I think its because there was always something we’d have to run back for. Yep, we weren’t but a hundred feet from the driveway when I realized I’d forgotten my jacket. I was sure, driving backwards wasn’t the best way to drive, but dad was pretty good at it. I guess he had a lot of practice between my brother and I. Anyway, I now had my jacket and we were off like a heard of turtles, once again.

Riding in the old Chevy pickup was always fun. Dad would sing old songs as he drove, and I liked to join in. We would often stop by the old country store out where grandma use to live to buy a soda. My favorite was Strawberry Crush. It was also a great place to buy worms, if we weren’t able to catch enough the night before.

We arrived at the fishing hole, grabbed our gear and headed down the trail.
I remember it being a little damp and we had to step over a log on the way. It must have been cool also, because I put on my jacket. I remember it was my white jacket with pink, blue, and yellow on the shoulders. I think I remember the jacket, because I would never wear it again.

It was fun fishing with my dad. We were having a great time, even though I don’t remember catching anything. It was time to head back, and I took up the rear as we walked back to the truck.

We came to the log we had climbed over earlier and dad stepped over it, followed by my brother, and then, “aaahh!” I screamed in fear! “Daddy, Daddy!” I cried. I was being swarmed by, what seamed like millions of yellow jackets! There was yellow everywhere! I dropped my gear and ran the first direction I saw. I didn’t even care that it was straight in to brush. I remember leaping as I came to a branch in my way. I leapt right over it, even though it was waist high, clearing the other branches out of the way as I went.

When I ran out the other side, dad was there. We franticly took my jacket off. The bees were crawling all over it. I was screaming and crying hysterically and don’t know how dad stopped the yellow jackets from attacking me. I have never been so afraid in my life, as I was that day, and I didn’t even get stung. Dad did, he was stung once on the stomach, but he said he was okay.

After the bees had gone away and I had calmed down, dad asked me if I wanted my jacket. I looked at it and shivered. The thought of ever putting it on again sent chills down my spine. All I could see when I looked at it was those yellow jackets. I still run in fear from bees, remembering that moment when I was only eight.

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