By Susan Jacques

• On the way home from receiving booster shots for COVID-19 in Drummondville, two women were startled when a deer bounced off their front fender as it tried to cross in front of their car. They stopped the SUV, saw no sign of a wounded deer, but were relieved that there was only superficial damage. They gingerly continued on their way. As they were approaching Waterloo, another deer bounded in front of them, hitting the car in the same spot, causing more damage, but the wounded car drove on. When calling the insurance company, the vehicle owner only made mention of one deer because she felt the agent might think she was fabricating the story.

• Deer are becoming more of a hazard, especially at dusk or early evening. A driver slowed down to enter a narrow driveway entrance when she felt and heard a loud thud as something brown hit the driver’s door. The deer must have jumped out of the ditch and hit the car. Again, no sign of the deer but a shocked driver and considerable damage. The decision then is whether to make an insurance claim. The rates will then go up, and, living in deer central, this could happen again.

• Before going to bed, the husband always removed his hearing aids and placed them on top of his chest of drawers. One evening, they were nowhere to be found. Retracing the events of the day led to many scenarios, including looking in outdoor jacket, trouser, and cardigan pockets. The coffee table, computer desk, kitchen table and chairs, shelves, nooks, and crannies were searched. Hearing aids are much more expensive to replace than glasses, so this was a near catastrophe. Sound sleep was not easy for the wife, but the husband seemingly slept like a baby. The next day, the search resumed when, suddenly, a voice emanated from the bedroom “I’ve got them.” The only pockets that weren’t searched were the pyjamas, and that’s where they were found. No recriminations, just relief and another place to explore in the future.