I've lived here for nearly twenty years, and for the first fourteen years, I never saw a moose. Now this was not for trying, particularly because family from elsewhere in the country were perpetually asking "have you seen a moose yet?????"
In my early years here in NH, I was employed as an "outside salesperson" and was privileged to travel the back-roads of this fine state, from the Manchester area all the way up the 93 corridor to the Canadian Border. As I would drive through areas like Colebrook, Bethlehem, Twin Mountain, Franconia, Campton, Rumney, Pittsburg, Littleton, Sugar Hill, etc, I kept my eyes peeled, always searching for the ever-elusive moose. During those years I was treated to literally thousands of sightings of wonderful NH wildlife! I saw countless deer of course, as well as lots of foxes, both red and grey. I saw Ospreys, Eagles, Kingfishers and Herons. I sat on a tree-stump eating lunch with a friend at the reservoir in Littleton, and she assured me if I was ever going to see a moose it was going to happen right there that very day. We saw a porcupine instead.
After a number of years had gone by, I was convinced I would never see a moose, and resigned myself to take delight in the wonderful sights I was treated to on a daily basis. Eventually, I forgot all about the moose, and my family quit asking. Thank heavens - I didn't need all that added stress!
So, one fine spring day I was sitting in traffic on Union Avenue, and after a while it occurred to me that I'd been sitting in the same spot for quite a while. I must have been deep in thought, because suddenly I realized there were lots of people coming out of the various houses and businesses alongside of where I sat. They were all looking across the street, and talking in an excited way. Curious, I started looking in the direction they were all looking, and to my complete shock saw a moose ambling along the parking lot of a small office cluster.
HOLY COW! A MOOSE! ON UNION AVENUE!!!!! I could hardly contain myself, and hatched a plan. After realizing there were no cars coming the other way, I pulled a highly illegal u-turn, and pulled into the lot at Belknap Tire. I watched said moose wander into their lot, and then head into the woods. Feeling like a child who's just stumbled upon Santa Clause, I recklessly followed, and spotted the moose crossing the railroad tracks below, and climbing the hill on the other side. Dang it!
As I got back into the car I realized there was a bridge a few hundred yards away, and quickly drove over it, and into the back lot of what is now the Inn at Opechee. There she is, just strolling leisurely through the lot, stopping here and there to munch some berries, and once to sniff the door of an SUV. I was transfixed. So much so, that I got out of my car and started following her. Around the building we went. Folks started pouring out of their offices in that building, equally mesmerized. Before long there was a small parade of us, drunk at the sight of a moose, doing our best to maintain a respectful distance while keeping her in our sight. Alas, she either tired of the attention, or felt like a swim, because she walked up to a wooden fence, peered into the distance toward the Madiera building, and then simply pushed the fence over, and proceeded toward the lake. I continued watching as she swam across Lake Opechee, emerging on the lawn at Madiera, and became lost among the cars in their parking lot.
My heart still beats fast when I remember this wonderful, blessed day when at last I feasted my eyes upon a moose. That was about six years ago, and I've yet to see another. No matter, because once you've seen one you never forget.
Patience my friend. It's worth the wait.
