Monday, June 16, 2008

The elk-dog incident

A while ago I mentioned that I would one day tell my embarrassing elk-dog story. I suppose today is that day.

First, I'm a total nerd when it comes to animals - including animals in the wild. I also do stupid things ALL the time.

A while back, as I was trying to get to sleep and my bedroom window was open, I heard an elk call. I live in a little mountain community and it wouldn't be completely far-fetched to hear an elk in the wild.

But I didn't know it was an elk because I had never heard one before. So, I went to work the next day and got my friend Michelle (MCF) to help me find an elk call on the internet. BTW, MCF is sooo cool and earthy and didn't think I was a total dork to find this sort of thing fascinating. Here is a short Youtube clip so you too can hear the call of the elk and become as enthralled as I am.




I determined that it was indeed an elk and proceeded to call my dad and Todd, who also thought it was pretty cool that I heard it.

That night, I slept on our family room couch which is closest to the woods by my house and is right next to a window.

Nothing. I didn't hear it.

The next night, I made Todd sleep outside with me on the trampoline.

Nothing.

I didn't hear it again until about a few weeks later. It was about 2 in the morning and the sound was so loud that it woke me up. It woke Todd up too.

After a few minutes, I realized a really disappointing/humiliating fact and tried to pretend I was asleep. Todd nudged me and asked me if I could hear the elk.

Well, as it turns out, the "elk" was never an elk at all - but a really creepy sounding dog that liked to howl in the middle of the night.

Todd literally cried with laughter that night and has never let me live that one down. MCF mocked me incessantly at work thereafter. It is now called the "elk-dog" incident.

I'm sure none of you have ever done anything so embarrassing. Or have you?!! Do tell!