I was about 12 years old and we went on a 6 week vacation out west. We took the car ferry across lake Michigan and headed west. Somewhere over there in Buffalo country we stopped at a park that had a large circular area with tall cyclone fence. There were about a dozen buffalo in there and one of the largest ones was very close to the fence so I went over to see it. Being a goofball kid I decided to sort of kick my foot in the dirt, it didn't kick dirt at him, just sort of kicked my toe into the dirt. Well....in a split second he exploded and charged the fence. He was bound and determined to blast through and had it about half way down. My mother and sister were running and screaming and the old man WAS p-----. Yeah, that one was ugly, real ugly.
Trouble is that it didn't completely cure the goofball part. Another time we went to Ding Darling wildlife area on Sanibel island. In one area on the left side of the drive the bank is a few feet above the sand shore which is about 6 to 8 feet wide. There was an alligator laying part way out of the water. I figured what the heck that thing isn't that big so I jumped off the edge and down on to the shore.....yep, the gator also exploded into action. He swung around to get back into the water in a split second. If that tail hit you it would bust your legs. Too old to be messing around now, so yes goofball did learn. I wont do any of this bear or moose close up stuff you see people doing. :) Oh NO, wait I did walk up close enough to almost touch a deer in Red Rocks Park last year. Don't worry it was a doe. I have to say the buffalo thing was the most scared I have ever been in my life. I was hauling arse.
