I came around a corner on my walk today. Deep in thought, I was in moving fast and not paying much attention when a sudden noise and motion to my left froze me.

A deer was on the other side of a knee-high white picket fence. I’d apparently startled her. Then she’d startled me

She was about three feet away. We stayed still. Then I softly said, “Hey, good looking. How’s your Saturday going?”

Leaning forward, the doe sniffed in my direction. This lasted for about ten seconds in my guesstimate. Then, satisfied, I guess, she resumed eating and I moved on.