Sunrise, Sunset: a Memoir

Ralph liked to go bird hunting. It could be blackbirds, doves, quail, or anything that seemed good to eat. Ralph was bird hunting that day, and had come over since it was an open field, and maybe a dove or two would fly over. The mule harnessed to the wagon was Ole Red. She was the most nervous and frisky mule that Mr. Jay owned, but she was gentle if there was not a lot of noise and motion. Ralph and Maxie were talking when a group of four doves flew over. Without notice or warning, Ralph raised his shotgun and shot at the doves. The noise startled the mule, and she took off running across the field towards Maxie's house. Maxie, Buddy, and Hoytte all chased the mule and wagon, but could not catch up to it. Holice just bounced up and down as the wagon went across the rows of potatoes. The mule ran between the old pear tree and the smokehouse, and each wheel of the wagon missed the tree and smokehouse by about two inches. When the mule got to the other side of the house, it stopped, and the group caught up to the wagon. Holice just laughed and said, "Daddy, I liked that. Can we do that again?"