November 4, 2025

A Peaceable Kingdom on the Street in Ohio

As I sit in my living room I look out the window and watch twenty year olds come in and out of their student rentals, car owners go up and down the street looking for free parking spaces. So I am not surprised to see a young couple standing near the curb across the street. But what is unusual is that they are standing stock still. The reason, it turns out, is the traveling group of white tailed deer, making their usual way down the street, sniffing and munching as they go. Three of them walk right past the young couple, ho hum.. But the fourth, perhaps a little younger and barely out of his faun spots, stops and stares back at the kids. The girl takes a step back, but the young man holds his ground The deer sniffs and stares Then satisfied that it’s just a harmless student, backs away and continues on The stiudent moves slightly and extends his hand making little clicking noises in a friendly gesture. The deer stops, thinks about it but then runs off.

I know, I know. The deer probably are around the corner, munching on the neighbor’s prize tulips, and the kid has reached into his car for his gun and will hunt the deer down. But just for a moment there was a chance of reconciliation, a glimmer of possible world peace, and I will hold on to it through out the day’s craziness.