So the story kind of begins at the end of a very long day. Carl and I had walked all around two different museums doing the whole NASA history thing. And yet, we had made it back to the park in enough time to get there for an incredible sunset. Carl had grabbed his camera, and we went to the pier. I sat with him until the sun went down and it was getting pretty dark. I had a flashlight, and he was doing a series of night time, long exposure shots from off the Banana river. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Not to mention how much fun it was to watch Carl so happy, doing what he really loves. But in the end the events of the day won out and I was exhausted.
I told Carl that I was tired and I was going to head back to the tent to get ready for bed. He said that was no problem and that he would soon follow behind me in about 10 to 15 min. Happy with this, I set off down the pier. It was very dark out, but the stars and the bright lights reflecting off the waterfront and the cloud cover from STS-132 Pad A. I thought it was bright enough not to use my flashlight, in hope of seeing more fire flies. I walked slow, and enjoyed the sounds of the water lapping on the shore. The children's voices in the distance laughing and carrying on. It made me smile.
Happy and tired I ambled my way to the tent. I was in no big hurry. I walked down the small gravel road, passing RV, after RV. The campfires smelt so wonderful, and the glow of the small fires in front of each campsite left a warmth in my heart. It was peaceful. I turned from the road onto a large grass lawn set aside for the tent camping. The field was soft beneath my feet.
I walked further and further away from the softly lit gravel road to the darker shaded area of my tent. I heard a soft russel in the cut grass not far from where I was walking. I turned on the flashlight and spot lighted the culprit of the sound. It was an armadillo. About 2 feet in front of me and a little to the left. My light stunned him and he stopped dead in his tracks. I knew what an armadillo was, but I could not recall if they were dangerous or not. I did not know what to do. I was scared to move. I quickly turned off the light and in a shot the armadillo ran wildly in one direction and I ran wildly in another.
I ran to the safety of the lighter better lit gravel road. My flash light still off. A man and a woman had been going for an evening stroll. When they saw me run in terror to the road, the man could not stop laughing. The woman shot her husband a stern look. The man asked me, "You aren't from around these parts are ya?" Still giggling. I said, "No." Kind of annoyed, and embarrassed. I told them I had seen an armadillo.
That was it, the guy laughed out loud not holding anything back. The woman looked and me and told me how brave I was for camping in a strange place where I did not know the critters. She asked me where I was from. I told her I was NASA Dryden in California. She smiled sweetly and her husband told me that armadillos are like cats, but nicer. He told me I would be perfectly safe picking one up and tickling its belly. And they left me to go on my merry way back to the tent.
Traumatized I made it back to our little homestead and quickly slipped inside the tent, got into my pajamas and got into bed. Carl soon came and I told him of the attack of the wild armadillo. Do you think he comforted me? Hell no, he laughed so hard I thought he was going to cry. He teased me the rest of the trip about making us all from California look bad.
So next time, I am going to catch that little armadillo and I am going to take a victory picture with him before setting him free. :) Of course I think I am going to have to wait for my next encounter when I go visit my sister for the first time in AMARILLO, Texas! <3
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