Pennsylvania Game News - December 2021 - 38

prevented participation in many activities.
It was -40 degrees on Korea's famed
38th parallel the day Richard passed; an
otherworldly chill that froze feet into
blocks of ice and made fingers stiff as
rifle barrel steel. The ferocious cold was
a shared adversary to all combatants in
the seemingly misnamed Hellfire Valley.
But there is another kind of cold that
penetrates even deeper, one that creates
a frozen wasteland of isolation inside,
where Steven's heart now wandered, longing
for someone to guide and share with
him those wonders that beckoned from
the distant hills. He made up his mind to
reach out to his dad during dinner.
Steven eased the Mannlicher from the
wardrobe and wiped it down. He returned
it to its place when his mom called from
the top of the stairs.
" Steven, it's time to eat. Dad called.
He won't be home until tomorrow. All
the roads are closed up north. "
HE NEXT DAY was bright and
sunny. Steven shoveled the sidewalks
and a parking space. Just as he finished,
Dad's pickup pulled into the space.
" Now that's what I call service! " he
said, clapping Steven on the back.
" Mom's got hot roast beef sandwiches
for lunch. We had pot roast yesterday, "
said Steven.
" It's always better the next day, " said
T
his dad.
During lunch, Steven steered the
conversation about the snowstorm to
hunting. He spoke quickly, his words
scripted. " Bet it'd be easy tracking deer
in this snow. Richard always liked a
good tracking snow. I wore his knee-high
boots this morning when I was shoveling
and they almost fit. I bet by deer season
they'll be just right. I made a list of gear
when I was going through Richard's and
38
Uncle Keith's stuff, and we'll already have
almost everything. I'll have to get my
license, too. Richard said that...
" Hold on a minute, " interjected his dad.
" Let's not get ahead of ourselves. With my
new sales position they're going to need
me on the road a lot more starting this fall.
And many of the guys have already put
in for vacation time for deer season. But I
have a couple co-workers who hunt who
offered to get you up and running. They
have kids your age and you're welcome
to hunt with them. These guys are experienced
hunters. "
" Sounds OK to me, " said Steven. " I'm
going back out to shovel walks this afternoon.
Might as well earn a couple bucks.
I'll be back after dark. Dad was right about
the roast beef, Mom. It was even better
than yesterday. "
Steven's parents stood at the sink doing
the dishes together, and together they
watched their son walk down the street,
snow shovel on his shoulder, like a soldier
marching off. They immediately thought
of Richard, but made no mention of it.
Ann recognized how the three of them
continued to grapple with the loss of
Richard, and sorely wanted to draw her
family back together.
" Can you see it in his eyes, Jim? " said
Ann. " Can you hear it when he speaks?
I can. He's searching for something that
stands taller than everything around him.
A landmark in his landscape that anchors
him every day. And his voice is a hollow
echo, like someone lost calling out to
someone he knows is not there. "
" That someone being Richard, " said
Jim.
" Not Richard, " Ann replied. " It's been
you all along. "
" Me? "
" Yes. After Richard was gone and
my brother moved to California, Steven
Pennsylvania Game News - December 2021

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