Jilly's Close Call

Jilly thought it was fun. Joel and Sheila will never forget it.

Jilly's Close Call

Joel rolled out of the king size bed and pulled his robe from the six foot bed post. It was dark. No one should be calling this early on a Saturday.

He tip-toed out of the room.

The phone is still ringing!

“Hello?”.
“Joel?”.
“Sandy? Is something wrong?”.
“I hate to bother you but can you guys watch Jilly today?”.
“Uh”.
“Our babysitter flaked and neither of us can miss work. I’m really sorry but it’s an emergency.”.
Joel hesitantly, “Sure. OK. How do we do this?”.
“I’ll be over in fifteen. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”.

Sandy knocked just as Mr. Coffee finished his job. Joel answered the door in a clean pair of jeans and yesterday’s t-shirt.

He put on a game face, “Good Morning!”.
“Thank you so much!”.

Sandy stepped in with a pink duffel in each hand and one over her shoulder. She dropped them, “I’ll get Jilly out of the car.”. Joel thought, ‘been there done that’. Go for the day and pack for the week!

Barely twenty minutes after Joel woke up there he stood holding his neighbor's child, "Hungry?".

Later, Joel's wife Sheila shuffled out of the bedroom and found Jilly eating the breakfast Mom sent.

“Hi Jilly!”.
“Grrggll!”.

Joel filled Sheila in and they made plans.

They have a child size sleigh from when their children were young. It’s light with a flat bottom that slides easily over most any kind of snow. Shep, Joel and Sheila’s Malamute, had never pulled the sleigh but he took the harness and was happy to be outside. It was a perfect mild winter day, twenty-five degrees, sunny, fresh snow and sunny.

Their old farmhouse sits on the edge of a former Soybean field surrounded by woods. Joel’s parent’s sadly sold most of the land when farming became too tenuous to continue. That left the house and ten acres free and clear. It hadn’t been farmed in a couple of decades so now it’s home to ubiquitous wildlife and of course, it's Shep's playground.

Today the flat backyard field is pristine with 3 inches of overnight snow that was so bright it made Joel’s eyes water.

Jilly was strapped in, mummified in her pink snow suit, her cool sun glasses and bright pink bicycle helmet. Joel envisioned a nice easy ride for Jilly and a good morning walk for himself. There never a thought that Shep would be able to run so fast with the sleigh.

Shep tipped his head to the right, ears up.

A grey rabbit hopped out of the woods.

Shep was on the run.

His hind legs kicked snow over Jilly, he strained at first but once the sleigh moved it glided nicely on the heavy snow.

Joel, caught surprised yelled, “SHEP. STOP!”.

Jilly laughed.

Shep ran, seemingly unencumbered.

The rabbit stood very still watching Shep. It turned around and went back in the woods. Right then another one jumped out on Shep’s left. They must plan these things. Shep went into a full four legged skid to the left. He caught his footing and with long strides was after the next rabbit. The sleigh, tethered to Shep, swung right before straightening out.

Jilly laughed hard.

Joel watched helplessly from across the field. Too far to run.

Jilly was having the time of her short life.

Joel worried for Jilly's short life.

When a deer cantered down the forest line in Shep’s line of sight it invigorated Shep. He focused changed to the deer and ran full tilt after it with Jilly in tow laughing, arms flailing in bright pink.

Joel’s fear increased exponentially. He screamed for Shep.

Sheila, who had been watching from the kitchen window, ran for the ATV in the garage.

Right then the deer veered toward the house. Shep veered left, the sleigh made a swing right. All three of them were on a beeline straight for Joel. He was briefly hopeful until the deer made U-turn and gracefully bounded into the woods.

Shep did a four leg skid, hard right and followed the deer.

Joel was in a panic, beyond scared, “SHEP. COME. NOT INTO THE WOODS!”.

Shep was a hundred feet from the forest line with Jilly right behind. Joel knew if Shep went into those woods the sleigh couldn't stay intact long. Jilly is going to be hurt. Joel was running but there was no way to get there in time.

Sheila gunned the ATV past Joel, going thirty miles per hour she was honking the horn, screaming “SHEP!”.

When Shep heard the familiar ATV he made a turn to the right. The sleigh swung left and slid under an Evergreen that dumped its load of snow on Jilly.

Shep kept turning until he was headed straight for the house. Joel could see Jilly, her pink arms raised and covered with the snow.

Shep ran back across he field and stopped in front of Joel, head up and panting, looking for a little praise. Joel grabbed the harness. Sheila unstrapped Jilly as fast as she could, looked her over and gave her a big hug.

Their hearts were pounding.

Inside, Shep went straight for his bowl. Jilly giggled unfazed as she was lifted out of her snowsuit. After some juice Joel and Sheila settled her on the couch for a nap. Jilly woke mid-afternoon and spent the rest of the day playing with Shep.

It was early evening when Sandy picked up her daughter. Jilly was in her pajamas, sleepy and ready to go.

Sandy said, “I owe you. How did it go?”.
Shiela said, “She was a perfect angel.”.
Joel, “She took a sleigh ride this morning.”.
Sandy, “Oh, that sounds nice. Did you like that honey?”.

Jilly put her thumb in her mouth and her head on Mom’s shoulder. They packed the bags and Sandy and Jilly drove away.

Sheila said to Joel, “We’ll tell her the whole story later.”.
Joel silently agreed. Yes, but not today.