to get my Doctorate from the School Of Hard Knocks? Must I always learn things the hard way?

Case in point:

Last evening while walking my dog, Maggie, I once again eyed the great wooden "tower." This is an old wooden structure, oh, about 15 feet high, I suppose. On many occasions, I had observed it from afar wondering what mystery it housed.

Last evening, curiosity got the better of me. Now work with me here.... I am virtually a Weeble (you know, they wabble, but they don't fall down.) in human form. A 50-year old Weeble, at that! I was determined, it seemed, to either prove or disprove the claim that they don't fall down.

There is a fallen tree just at the base of the tower that one must at least part-way scale in order to reach the tower's make-shift ladder. And so, my journey began. After some time trecking through a heavily laiden briar patch, I gingerly (*for a Weeble*) scaled the tree and finally arrived at the mystery structure.

In my mind, I had the building being the hiding place for the bodies of unsolved mysteries, or perhaps, seeing as how Arkansas is notorious for its meth labs, the very hub of a meth manufacturing ring. Soon I would know.

Every step was tested with a hearty tug before I pulled up on the rung of the aged, deteriorating ladder. I envisioned myself being interviewed by Barbara Walters, or perhaps being featured on 20/20, Dateline NBC, or maybe even Oprah for the sensational story I, single-handedly, had broken.

My breathing was shallow, and quickened. Not knowing what danger awaited me at the top, somewhat reluctantly, I slid my fingertips onto the base of the opened loft door.

I pulled myself up very slowly as not to startle anyone who was lying in wait for me. And there it was. An empty room. More than that, directly across from me I spied a door--a door on the "ground floor," if you will. Had I simply walked around to the other side of the building, I could have effortlessly opened a door and walked in.

But then, I wouldn't have this adventure to share, would I??

Sometimes the longer route is the better one...
Its not allways good to take the well beaten path...
Sometimes we have to carve out our own path!

You have the heart of a romantic, and the curiousity of a child.
That is so great!!! Never stop exploring...

That's too funny! It happens to the best of us, though. I know I have some similar experiences I would rather not share!

good one

Whatever doesn't kill you can only make you stronger...

...now come over here so I can shoot you in the foot, it's for your own good!

Thanks, Joshy, but then that would be too easy, wouldn't it?? I mean where is the err of mystery??

that was a good one, thanks for sharing

If I couldn't laugh @ myself, many times I would be laughter-free!

really now?

Good story, Whispers!

I'm such a chicken.....I never would have done that!
At least not without absolutely having no other choice!

Too funny!!!

Oh, I have an arsenal of "OK, that was really dumb!" stories!! I'll keep you posted...

Whispers
Loved your story. You should write a book.

Whispers,
Are you writer? If not...u should be..really good story..well written!

Thanx for the ego stroking, Poly and Hawaiigurl. Writing is a passion of mine that I haven't done anything about in quite some time. My dad wrote a book, Jake The Woodsman, about his experiences as a young boy growing up in Arkansas.

He has always encouraged me to write, but my spark was snuffed out by my "X" who was always critical. He wanted to direct my writing toward "Christian" life. Odd, since he has been charged with raping our daughter, don't you think?

Bitter? Yes. Perhaps some day I will be able to write about my experience living under the same roof as a child molester, my husband, who "posed" as a pastor.

We'll see.....

Remember life is all about the journey not the destinstion

You're right, dc, and what a journey it's been so far~~~~