THE LONELIEST GAME
Like thousands of other deer hunters across the country, the bowhunter was back at work after an extended November vacation chasing whitetails. He knew what to expect, having been in that situation many times before. His co-workers knew he saved all his vacation time every year to take advantage of the November whitetail rut. Their initial greetings were always the same: “Did you get your buck?”
That year, his response was the same as it was most years. “No, not this year.” The answer seemed to come easier each season, and it no longer bothered him to admit he had not filled his tag. When other hunters returned to work with photos of their bucks, he would simply offer sincere congratulations while listening to their stories and checking out their hero shots. In fact, he almost came to enjoy the ribbing he took from his non-hunting co-workers when they teased him because the workplace buffoon had killed a buck but he hadn’t.
There was no need to explain it. They wouldn’t understand. Even the ones who were very good
