Childhood
Catch a tiger. Top Story - August 2022.
In 1994, I took over my father's shift and worked as a worker in the cutting team of Erdao Inventory Forest Farm in Huma County, Heilongjiang Province. At that time, the forest coverage rate of the Greater Khingan Mountains was as high as 90 percent, and we had many encounters with sika deer, wild boar, wolves, bears and other wild animals. That winter, just before the shutdown, we accidentally captured a Siberian tiger, which got caught in one of our carefully set traps and couldn't free itself. It was exhausted and went limp. We put a big net over it, tied it down, and carried it back to the station. It was huge, about 300 kilograms. Most people want to taste tiger meat after Zhang Zai, when the Spring Festival ahead of schedule. Field long or relatively have consciousness, know the Siberian tiger is not much, then reported the superior. After many contacts, a zoo in a big city was willing to accept him and promised to pay 1000 yuan for his labor. We take good care of this Siberian tiger, specially waiting for the car from the zoo to pick it up. The female tiger was put in a big wooden cage, and still refused to be tamed. She roared loudly, and the sound could be heard for miles, and she would not eat what she was fed. The next night, she finally brought a bigger one. It was a male, much bigger, with a roar that was terrifying and earth-shattering. It seems to be the king of the mountains in this area. How can it give up when we bind its "Lady of the village"? We were on alert, ready, taking turns watching day and night. On the third night, the wind was cold, snow was blowing, and the temperature dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius. A few of us young men were on duty in the timber hut of the logging team, chatting around the charcoal brazier. Such a cold day, the tiger probably won't come, even if it dare to also in vain, we put its "beloved wife" shot anesthesia, shut into the cellar next to the wooden house to go, at the moment, it is snoring. At about 11 o'clock, the little Xu at the tip of his ear shouted, "Listen, there is a tiger barking!" All ears pricked up, and sure enough, the whine of the wind was mixed with a more shrill, harsh shriek. It was the real roar of a tiger: "Aw-woo", "aw-woo", full of anxiety and resentment. The sound came closer and closer, and before long, it was clear enough to hear, as in the ear. "Well, how dare you come and kill it." "Shouted Dazhang, taking his shotgun off the wall. We all leaned over to the window to watch. No shadow of the tiger can be seen, but its roar is clearly close at hand. Chang couldn't hold on. He fired a few shots at random. The sound of the gun shook the wooden house, but it had no effect on the snowy night. "Pa!" Plank door was severely beat once, we happen to see a hairy bowl big tiger palm, shape like plum blossom, sharp claws out of the claw sheath. Then, a few centimeters thick wooden door "Hua la" was broken, a huge surprise, terror of the tiger head in. The tiger mouth is big enough to fill three heads at the same time, the red tongue is more than twenty centimeters long, the two cheeks of the tiger must shake, like burging flexible silver needles, and the fierce light of the triangle tiger eyes to awe our soul. We were stunned for a few seconds before we thought of running away. But big Zhang, small Xu but a buttok sat on the ground, have the spirit of death, give up the tiger. The truth is, they were so scared they peed their pants and their legs were as soft as noodles. The tiger body suddenly squeezed in, the wooden door completely collapsed, the cabin suddenly crowded up, this Siberian tiger has more than 3 meters, 1.6 meters high. The tiger is like a quick fight, usually is so a few deadly fight, its swift and violent action is beyond imagination. We didn't even get a good look at it, but Zhang's chest was punctured by a tiger claw. He Yong and I were so overstimulated that we instinctively jumped up, broke down the door and ran to the other room. After four or five rooms, He Yong saw a room with a large wooden bed can be invisible, then a mouse like a head into the bed. Still, I rushed forward without thinking. When I reached the end, I realized that the door there was sealed and there was no way out. There were no Windows or doors, and I ran around the room in a hurry. The Siberian tiger forced this way, the tail like a steel whip whip, very scary. I came within ten metres of it. I caught a glimpse of the large pine casks in the corner. It was dug with a whole root of red pine up to 1 meter thick, which contained more than half of the barrel of sorghum white, the top of the lid is tightly sealed, to prevent the wine from running smell, it seems that only there can hold me. I pried off the lid, held the barrel by the leg, and got into it. The wine was chilled to the bone. After entering the whole person, the wine is not enough to the barrel, my head can just be exposed. I closed the lid upside down with my hand on the handle, and let fate take its course. Within ten seconds, the tiger came along. The wine overpowers my scent. It can't smell me. I could feel him sniffing around the house, probably looking for the tigress, which wasn't there. Suddenly, the tiger came close to the barrel and scratched the lid with his claws. There was a stir. I shivered. Seeing that he could not open the lid, he was impatient and emptied the cask at once. I cried bad luck, with the cask also fell down, suddenly feel the sky spinning, the wine on my face, flush into the nose, almost choked me to death. The wine gushed out of a crack in the lid, and I could hear the tiger licking it curiously, probably thinking it was good, and sucking it with its tongue. It's 60 proof, and for the big Samson, it's just drizzle. The tiger drank about a dozen jin in one gulp, and the alcohol finally had a soothing effect on it. With a growl, he turned and walked out. After another half hour, when I was sure there was no danger, I dared to come out. I'm so cold and stuffy that I'm out of breath. Fortunately, He Yong was still alive, and we made it through the night with mutual encouragement. The next day, the leaders of the field learned of the situation and were shocked. After dealing with the aftermath, they decided to immediately transfer the female tiger to the foot of the mountain, where there was a strong iron cage with tighter security. On that day, a dozen of us boys carried the big wooden cage containing the tiger to a car, pulled by three cows, and walked down the hill. All the way we took extra care and waited. After 4 p.m., it was getting dark. The wind was howling and snow was flying. We were walking hard on the winding mountain road when suddenly there was a thunder-like tiger roar. We fired immediately, but we didn't see where the tiger was. The tiger's movement was so swift and powerful that it broke a wooden bar with the bang of "Click bar". The two tigers roared and ran up the hill. For a long time, we dare to climb up from the ground, as if just finished a nightmare, the wooden cage has been empty, 3 cattle scared to collapse on the ground, shit.
By gongkai24 years ago in Confessions
Starr Theory
Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Well I am one to disagree personally; when you realize what space is you will be rushed with the feeling of euphoria beyond belief. I’ve had much fear of death recently after hardship and loss, and I went to the deepest and darkest depths of my soul. I was lost in this world and I think we all feel the same. The yearning for more, the need for validation, the desire for love, the list could go on for years. We all feel it and we all receive these gifts differently. However, it’s not just gifts we receive, and sometimes we feel hopeless. We kill ourselves slowly with cigarettes or quickly with a bullet to the dome. These experiences are all fully necessary in life as they are all different. They are all unique paths with unique stories to tell and they should be shared.
By Connor starr4 years ago in Confessions
Jesus is Real
Any person who says, “I don’t have to do what my parents say, I’m eighteen,” has probably never had their mother utilize her sandal as a tool of public humiliation in the middle of a low-priced grocery store. I grew up in a mixed-race household that fulfilled the stereotype for both Mexicans and Irish individuals. It began as Catholic and became non-denominational Christian, which meant that while we attended normal church and experienced communion, we did not have ‘Mass’. Because of the nature of my family, hearing sentences like “my mom will totally beat my ass,” always held different connotations than what most people would think. The saying doesn’t mean “I am a victim of abuse” as much as it means “my parents weren’t afraid to spank me as a child.” With all of this said, there was a moment in my life in which I was sure my mother was going to beat my ass in front of all my friends—the time I dropped the communion juice in Church. Through this disaster of an event, I came to realize that Jesus was real, and he saved me from an ass whooping.
By Kai Jeffreys4 years ago in Confessions
Letter to a Former Teacher
Dear Mr. Jones, As a former student I am writing to you to apologize for my behavior that was not your responsibility to bear, as well as try to offer some perspective on that time in my life. Fourth grade was a very difficult time for me and I lacked the social-emotional skills to cope with a burst of new feelings. I was alone a lot. Alone at home. Alone at school. Things were very difficult when you grew up poor in a rich zip code. My mother did her best to brainwash her children into thinking there was nothing wrong with growing up the way we did. Wintertime was always the toughest in my house as we had no heat other than a woodstove in one room of a completely uninsulated, drafty house. It was difficult to focus on my schoolwork when nighttime brought the seemingly endless struggle of where to find firewood or what we would eat. I vaguely recall hearing news stories at that time about a serial killer who was arrested and charged with cannibalism. At the time, it was less sinister and more worrying on a personal scale because I was almost jealous of his full belly. I didn’t quite grasp the importance of the moral outrage being expressed by the revelation that a man who was killing and eating people had been loose in the world because I was hungry enough to do the same.
By Juliana Dentata4 years ago in Confessions
Iconic Summer Food
I moved to NEPA when I was 12 years old and that summer, was indoctrinated into the summer activities starting with the Rattlesnake Roundup, hosted by the Noxen Volunteer Fire Department. Aside from the snakes (contained behind a double fence) these gatherings featured music and food. According to my taste buds Potato Pancakes were the most wonderful of these. They were Invented in Eastern Europe by the Ashkenazi in the 1800s when there were crop failures. Polish and Ukrainian farmers planted potatoes to replace the lost crops because they were inexpensive and easy to grow. When they emigrated to the Wyoming Valley in NEPA they brought their recipes. These delightful pancakes are sold three for a dollar and served with applesauce or sour cream (I like both). It is a delicious combination that tones down the oil (usually grapeseed or vegetable) and is most perfect when the potato pancakes come hot off the griddle. Because they are lightly fried in oil (not drowned deep fried), potato pancakes have a light flavor of potatoes and onion.
By Wanda Joan Harding4 years ago in Confessions
Father Daniel - a childless priest who educates the children of others.
I recently heard of this father Daniel, a family friend of some sorts. One of my relatives said like a good health wish for him when she heard of him. This made me feel something interesting about father Daniel.
By Estera Lupu4 years ago in Confessions
Looking for childhood
Grow up, forget the world of childhood. The world that only exists in the eyes of children, that changes infinitely, sometimes such as the misty blue sky, sometimes such as the vast boundless sea, sometimes such as desolate desert. Sometimes it's not so grand, like a little dewdrop on a beautiful petal that opens at dawn.
By test4 years ago in Confessions
Goodbye, old house of childhood
My home is not what merchant rich and so on, had not seen build imposing manner grand, carve column jade build by laying bricks or stones and so on mansion, needless to say the winding path in grand view garden is deep and quiet, bamboo creek is beautiful place, but za common people has an old saying, gold nest silver nest is inferior to oneself earth nest, that 4 earth walls, the place of one party eave calls home.
By test4 years ago in Confessions
Why I'm Grateful for Duck Hunting
I still remember what it felt like. The year was 2015 and the quiet morning breeze that usually smelt of freshly mowed grass and the ink of ballpoint pens was different that Monday morning. Something had changed. Colors came off a little bit brighter, the sun shone just a bit warmer, and my priorities had shifted ever so slightly. Instead of thoughts of the day’s upcoming spelling test or anxiety over the report card that awaited my parents in the coming weeks, I saw images of men in white and men in green facing each other with nothing but a painted line on the grass to separate them. A massive concrete structure filled with a sea of people in green and gold, their voices echoing and ringing and vibrating, in sternums, out of vocal cords, down the stands, onto the field. The Ducks versus the Utes: the night the team from “Sack Lake City” startled the nation with a resounding 62-20 victory, handing Oregon a historic Whittingham-style loss. Duck hunting season hadn’t even started yet.
By F. Elle Hull4 years ago in Confessions
