It was reported that a naked woman, bleeding from the shoulders, was seen running in terror through my neighbor’s pasture – a horror story for sure. The report was called in to our local sheriff and I don’t know what action was taken, but rumor has it the real story was somewhat different.
As you may have noticed, part of the fun of living in the country is in observing people with idiosyncrasies? You have to be slightly strange to live in our neighborhood and of course my husband and I are the only normal persons residing here.
One of our very sweet neighbors has a crow’s nest (different from crow’s feet), which is a viewing area at the top of her house that allows her to see far off into distant horse pastures. Things from a distance look closer than they are. Isn’t that the message on the rear view mirrors of your car? Well, Louise (name changed to protect the innocent) saw what she saw. And what she saw was a terrified naked woman bleeding from the shoulders and running for her life. And that is what she reported to the sheriff.
Later it was learned that a horsewoman named Jan (name also changed), clad in tan riding breeches and a tan blouse with red designs on the shoulders, had lost her horse. She dismounted for some reason and the horse got “spooked” and took off. Jan ran after him to keep sight of his approximate direction. She knew when he calmed down, he would respond to her whistle.
So, picture this: a naked woman (actually clad in tan riding clothes), running for her life (really running across the pasture after her horse), bleeding from her shoulders (actually red designs on the shoulders of her blouse). Add imagination and the distance to a crow’s nest and you have “Terror in a Horse Pasture,” an apt name for a prize winning, fictional thriller.
And later, “All was well,” said Jan with a grin, “I got my horse back in good time. And I suppose from a distance, you might think I was bleeding and maybe naked too.”
Well, it makes for fine dinner conversation among us normal folks in the country.
Country Tip for City Dudes:
Things are never what they seem.
Virginia Views 