Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt 2017
In Search of the Bunny
by Terry Allen
April 15, 2017
Easter Egg Company commander Randy Belton stood on a big rock and looked out over the assemblage of 250 boys and girls and called them to attention. "The objective today, boys and girls is to capture as much candy from the enemy Squirrels as you can," he said. "The squirrels have infiltrated the forest, the groomed grounds and the fishing pond district and even now they are making off with our M & M’s, Peanut Butter Cups, Twix, Snickers and York Peppermint Patties."
After a quick appraisal of the troops he designated six of them as platoon leaders. "I want two platoons of medium sized candy soldiers to flank the squirrels from the right. I want 2 more platoons to take the left flank. I want our most experienced troops to take the pond and flush the squirrels out of the willows and reclaim our candy and hold that ground. Toddlers and puppies…I want you to run right up the middle and cause as much unpredictable confusion as you can so the squirrels drop their candy and run up the trees in fright."
Lt. Phil the Lion was working on a big wad of pink bubble gum and as soon as the bubble he was blowing popped, the screaming candy army attacked in force. It worked like a charm…so good in fact that it scared the Easter Bunny away too. No one even remembered seeing him after the bubble gun popped.
"I ran as fast as I could right at the first squirrel I saw," said Stevie Jo. "He just took off running and climbed up a tree and scolded me from a branch. I almost felt bad until I saw the pile of candy he had already collected up on a pine pitch snag."
Miraj never saw any rabbits or squirrels but he did get a bucket full of candy and a big yellow Tweety Bird.
Puppy Zeus was doing pretty well "until some kids mugged me," he said. "They said it was for my own good, but I have my doubts."
Angelita on the Special Forces team at the pond said it was hard to tell the real Tootsie Rolls apart from the Tootsie Poops left behind earlier by undisciplined dogs…so she had to be careful where she stepped.
Shay offered the photographer some candy, and mentioned the kitty on her hat had lost its nose. "I think maybe a mouse in our house got it," she said.
George the Lion gave a shout and his platoon ran over and chased a squirrel up a tree. They all looked up and watched him sitting on a branch just eating a Butterfinger.
Zoe was looking everywhere for the Easter Bunny. She looked up the tunnel slide and he wasn’t there, but the photographer took her picture looking anyway. "There is another Easter Bunny I know about," she said. "He lives at our house and he’s chocolate. Mom’s been eating him a little bit at a time."
Kali Koch gave out a little yelp and threw her arms up when she saw the Easter bunny coming toward her, but it was just Mom Tonya in big bunny ears.
As the photographer was leaving to get something to eat at Stoney Vance’s 307Q over by the rodeo grounds, he saw Michelle and Ella and Evie stop to thank a big pride of Lions for putting on such a wonderful event. Randy the Lion loved to hear they were happy and started purring and then Jim Allen the Lion started purring and pretty soon all the Lions were purring because they love making children so happy.
The photographer went over to 307Q and said hi to Stoney and his girls. Stoney talked about Joe Blow Friday and how he had sold 3 briskets, 2 pork butts, 10 racks of ribs, 40 pounds of wings, a bunch of street tacos and a gallon or so of beans. "We load the smoker at 7pm and then the real magic happens at 5am when we open it back up…you’ll have a religious experience," he said. "We taste everything there before we sell it." As Stoney talked, the girls orbited around the photographer and sang a little song they learned somewhere. Stoney is a co-pastor of an Act 2 church in town and plays the guitar there so I guess the girls are picking up Stoney’s musical inclinations.
I thanked them for the visit and began walking to my truck. As I did so, I felt a little hand slip into mine. I looked down and it was his littlest girl looking back up at me. She walked me to my truck just like that and thanked me for coming. Yep, nothing like a family run business. You can bet I’ll be going back.
Thank you StoneyQ for sponsoring this Easter Story. I sure had a nice time. Thank you to Dawn Ballou at Pinedale Online for appreciating the way I like to get to know people and for co-sponsoring this story.
Folks, please contact me with corrections or comments. I do family and event photography, so if you like my style I’d be happy to talk with you. txpartisan@gmail.com
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