First Turtle Rescue of 2001
4/20/1
Ok, I�ll make this quick. I�m coming back from the field in my van and as I clear the rise on Vermont Road, I see the turtle.
I�m thinking that this is a bad spot to try and stop and help this turtle, but it�s an even worse spot for the turtle.
I pull past the turtle and get out. I walk back to the turtle and ask it, �Are you OK, buddy?� Sorry, I�m in Alabama. It rubs off.
The turtle didn�t have any recent damage, like, say, his blood pulsing out of a huge crack in his shell, so I knew he was ok. I picked him up.
Only once have I had a turtle �act out� at me. The first turtle I rescued urinated around 8 ounces on my right leg. My technique has changed since then. But this turtle tried to get me too.
This turtle did a clawed leg sweep on me. Lucky for him I had only gotten him about a foot off the ground. Once he was back on the ground with all his little legs in, I pushed him the three feet he needed to get to the side of the road.
So far, no traffic.
The turtle was one that I�ll remember his shell if I have to rescue him again. It was quite dark and about 8 by 5 inches with lots of moss on it. On the rear right of his shell was some damage from years ago.
After getting Mr. Turtle to the side of the road he was headed to, I started hearing the car.
Incidentally, always put the turtle on the side of the road that they want to go to, otherwise they�ll just head back into traffic. I�ve assisted in the death of a turtle this way.
The car, which was actually a Bronco, sounded like it needed to shift gears. I jogged back to my van, and as I got to the door, the Bronco launched.
Back when I was a reckless speeder in my 323, I knew I could get the car�s suspension to extend at around 82 mph. The Bronco was going around 90. It launched.
It was able to dodge my van and not kill himself or me, but he did get awfully close to me. I got in the van and went back to work.
I got a good look at him, as he was trying to get out of our parking lot when I was coming into the parking lot.
He was the paperboy.