Nightlife on Gunflint Lake

Amidst this talk about the forest fire, I do have a light-hearted story that I want to tell you, too. It has to do with some nighttime entertainment that occurred here on Gunflint Lake about two weeks ago. Robert and I were the only ones home that evening. Greg was across the lake, visiting with friends, and Paul was out, too. We got a call at 10:30 p.m. that two certain donkeys had been spotted on the Mile O' Pine Road, and were they really allowed to range that far? Sort of like, "It's ten-thirty---Do you know where your donkeys are??" Now Robert and I were none too pleased, as we both were of the mind that it was bedtime. No chance for that with the news we just got.

We fetched the two ropes that would be needed, hopped into the car, and slowly drove up the road. I am always concerned in these cases (yes, this wasn't the first time we got that kind of call) that Moses and Jethro will take it upon themselves to travel down someone's driveway, and I won't find them right away. Fortunately, this wasn't the case. About a half-mile down the Mile O' Pine Road, we found the pair of Houdini break-out artists, as Greg likes to call them. I got out, hitched them to their ropes, and started walking them home. Robert turned the car around and drove on back.

I had told Robert that I planned to walk the road the whole way, as it was too dark to take the donkeys down the powerline trail. As unhappy and frustrated as I was, I have to admit that it was a very nice night. The stars were out, and I could see well enough from the lingering sunset to make my way along nicely. There was one thing I didn't plan on though.....and that was the very tall grass that the donkeys discovered as we traipsed along. It didn't take long for one to stop. Then the other one did, too, but on the other side of the road. I pulled, prodded, whined and coaxed, but nothing worked....not when faced with lush grass like these donkeys found. Donkeys are smart. They knew that they were bigger than me, and that if they wanted to stay, then the decision was made. Still, I continued to try, and I did my best to keep my frustration to myself. A donkey knows when you are upset, and they dig their heels in even deeper. Some people call this being stubborn, but experienced donkey people know that it is just self-preservation and perseverance on the part of the donkey. Ha! they thought. We've got her now. For my part, as I pulled and coaxed, I felt like I must look really ridiculous, as though I were dancing with donkeys, of all silly things! My young neighbor Nikki came driving by, and offered her help. That was very kind of her, but I told her that the guys back home knew where I was, and that surely one of them would soon come to rescue me.

Shortly after, Robert came walking up the hill, and he was able to take one donkey while I took the other. Moses wasn't too thrilled to be trudging on back, especially after I started to discuss the possibility of barbecue with him....It's probably a good thing that they can't understand too much English. A half-hour later, both donkeys were back up in their pasture, gates were closed, and I told them that they were confined to the donkey hoosegow until further notice. Who says there isn't much in the way of nightlife here on the Trail?