cellini's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our First Hunt How does this person exist? How is she in my life? This is like if someone told me that elves and fairies exist. A gorgeous 27 year old Swedish woman, a former Swedish TV news anchor, documentary filmmaker, who has been all over the world, with green eyes and a perfect figure, who happens to live only a few hours away, stumbled across something that I wrote and became so interested and then obsessed with everything that I do that she sought me out and took the train down to see me and then decided to make me the focus of her life and work. I mean, what the fuck? I keep waiting for the part where the alarm goes off and I have to wake up. How is SHE the one who is impressed with ME? Sorry to any readers that this diary is now all Helenah all the time. But that is pretty much where I'm at. I don't really think about anything else lately. In case anyone missed it, Helenah was previously referred to here as 'The Hot Swedish Filmmaker.' I would say that Helenah is the woman of my dreams, only I never managed to have a dream quite this good. The day really did go tremendously well. I delivered on everything that everyone hoped that I would, and then some. And in return, the other people really delivered for me. The goose operation was the big challenge. We lost the big flock that was there when we arrived. They took off and flew away out of range. Later I suggested that we start fishing while waiting for more geese to appear and while I was catching fish like a fucking champion a little group of 3 Canada geese came honking by, I dropped the pole and started calling the geese in. It worked. The little flock came in and landed on the pond, but they were on the other side. There was myself and one other hunter helping me out, plus the 2-person crew for the TV show and Helenah. I came up with a plan very quickly. I was worried the geese would leave. I checked where the wind was coming from, noting the fact that geese need to take off into the wind in order to gain altitude from the lift, just like an airplane. Based on the direction of the wind I pointed Michael (my other shooter and a great guy all around) over to a spot where the geese would have to pass over in order to escape into the wind. Then I began a slow, long stalk around the perimeter of the pond through the brush and woods to get behind the geese. I left Michael on the other side to keep the geese occupied with worrying about him. They were wary and would not cross the pond with Michael there. I could tell that they sensed my presence as I crept up through the brush an thorns from behind them with the love of my life right behind me holding her camera. I opened fire and the water exploded with their movement into the air. I took the one on the right as it curved into the air about 20 feet off the ground. My shot connected and the bird tumbled towards the water while I was already swinging over to the goose on the right and pulled the trigger. That one dropped as well but began to swim off rapidly to the left. My left hand racked the shotgun with its familiar clickity-clack and my right hand jacked a couple of fresh cartridges in as I started running. I splashed into the water and ran through thorns and mud and knee-deep water to catch up with the swimming bird and put another round of steel shot into it. I stood there panting and looked at the pair of dead geese on the water. I called out to Michael to put the boat in the water and pick up the birds. It turned out that he had gotten the third one as it came straight over his head as predicted. His shooting was graceful and flawless. At that moment I knew that I had performed as needed. I had done my job brilliantly and perfectly. The puzzle was solved on camera with speed, ingenuity and a fine enterprise among all concerned. A little bit of dash there at the end. This is what they all want me to be. The people who line up for my autograph. Not long ago I was melancholy about the whole thing and I didn't always like what my fans want from me. But now I'm ok with it. I know that people need heroes. They need someone to tell everyone else what the plan is and to give orders and instantly set out to put that plan in motion. They need someone to fire the first shot. They need someone who will run after the prey and splash through the mud and thorns like I did today, or swim the rapids down the river with a shotgun in hand like I did last year. People need someone to show them how to be the man that they hope to become. And I've realized since returning from the MEN fair last weekend that this is what my job really is and that I'm ok with it. I show people what they could become while teaching them how to become it. It is my duty to inspire and to lead people and I'm ok with that. Helenah has helped me to understand this. The vineyard owners went very much out of their way for us. They were grateful to me for making all of this happen and they recalled what I did for them last year in terms of promotion. They kept bringing out special wines. For dessert, after the goose burgers, they cut a few plantains that grew in the greenhouse that is part of the winery. Helenah and I got to eat what were probably the only locally grown bananas in this entire state. I think that it does wonders for a woman's opinion of you to take her to a winery and vineyard and have the owners greet you like a long-lost friend and ply you and your guest with wine and other little gifts all day long. Yet it wasn't bullshit. I really do just have my shit together to this degree. There are other places where I can go and get this kind of reception. I gave her the perfect day and I proved that I can give her many more perfect days. And I really can do this. I just never had anyone to share these things with before. It was always just me, alone. And now I have someone to bring with me. This is the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. I wonder what she is thinking about? This can't be one-sided, in terms of the long-term thinking. I mean, the incredible awesomeness of what the two of us could do together in books and film must have occurred to her by now. I'm more in love with her every day. 1:50 a.m. - 2011-09-29 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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