Today was an interesting day. I finally called the leader of the pack of Tar Heels. I had to hear what he had to say about everything that had transpired. Unfortunately, the conversation wasn’t what I had hoped for. There were no apologies or anything of the sort. Instead, there were attempts to justify the actions along with the inability to take ownership of what had happened.
When someone says, “We didn’t steal your spot,” it’s usually a good indication as to what the person is thinking. Although I’m not a psychologist, I’d say that most people who say that out of nowhere probably feel the desire to defend themselves. When people get defensive, it’s usually a sign that it’s a hot topic. They know they’re in the wrong, and they get angry because they’re being called out about it.
As Jeff was driving and I was talking on speaker phone, I watched Jeff’s facial expressions. At times, they almost made me burst out laughing. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. I have to admit that it brought me back to the late ’90s when the same type of situation happened when I brought a guy to Colorado and he showed up with all of his buddies the next year. He honestly saw no wrong with what he did. I’ll give that to Mr. Tar Heel. I just don’t think he was ever taught the proper ethics of this type of thing. However, if he was taught the right way, he definitely flunked the test. I”m not even sure that to think. I never raised my voice to him, and he liked cutting me off nonstop. Although my depth of knowledge in psychology isn’t that of a psychologist, I do have some background in people’s actions, and throughout the conversation, the guy’s character became quite evident. It shown as bright as the full moon that had passed a few weeks earlier.
Knowing the temper I possess when pushed to the limit, Jeff couldn’t believe I never blew a lid. Instead, I remained calm and asked questions and listened to the answers. I just explained that stories among his group didn’t match up. The stories on one end were not the same stories on the other end. There were too many untied ends that many things raise suspicions even further.
When a guy has contacted you numerous times over the last five to six years, then is staying a few mies down the road from you while hunting and never attempts to reach out or meet you in person, that tells me a lot about character. Someone’s character can be displayed in seconds, minutes, hours, days or years, but when a man’s true character shows up when he finally has a chance to meet you in person and chooses not to, that says all I need to hear. I listened to the quiet wind and learned a lot about a man I had never met but only spoken to.
After the guy got revved up an finally started raising his voice on the other other end of the phone, he finally had all he could take and said he would never talk to me again and hung up. Jeff looked at me and said, “Wow, I can’t believe how calm you were. I never expected that from you.”
I said, “I did pick up a few of Charlie’s good qualities along the way.”
After that, we continued down the road and settled into the cabin for the night to listen to the pounding rain and howling wind.