Behind the Lines: by David Heiller

David Heiller If you’ve got a spare hour or a spare day, take a walk in the woods, and do it soon. Our family tramped around Banning State Park on Monday of this week. Cindy’s sister, Nancy, had been looking after Mollie, so she packed a lunch and we met at Banning for a picnic and hike. We spread tuna fish on crackers and cut up a couple of homegrown tomatoes and had a meal that fit the day like a glove, pretty and simple and good for you. Then we hiked, following the Kettle River south toward Sandstone. Other people had the same idea. Usually Banning is deserted during the week, but not last Monday. We saw a young man sleeping on a picnic table, using his knapsack as a pillow and using the sun as a blanket. We pulled over as another guy met us coming up a narrow, rocky trail. We saw several couples, young and old. The sun moved in and out from its skirt of cotton clouds. When it shone, it warmed us like toast, and when it didn’t we walked a bit faster to keep the chill aw...

David Heiller One of my Christmas wishes came true, much to Nancy’s chagrin. I had hoped for cold weather that would solidify the ice on lakes and ponds. I wanted this for two reasons, skating and ice fishing. Of course, I got my wish. Was there any doubt of that happening in Minnesota in December? The cold weather did arrive, and the ice did freeze, and it froze smooth. I mean smooth. Α Zamboni couldn’t have made better ice. So on Saturday, Nancy, Collin and I headed for Mud Lake to do some ice fishing. Nancy, my sister-in-law, is probably the most die-hard fisher-person I will ever meet. Not that she fishes much. She doesn’t have that opportunity, for a variety of reasons. But when she goes, she is as content as a chickadee at a bird feeder, and that fact became clear to me once again last Saturday. Α heavy snow was falling when we got to Mud Lake at 2 p.m. I carried the minnows, my nephew, Collin, carried the bucket of gear, and Nancy brought up the rear with the ice ...

David Heiller We had an interesting experience here three months ago. Or should I say Meg had an interesting experience. Meg was a Llasa-poo dog belonging to my sister-in-law, Nancy Olson, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. They were a duo for the last 16 years, almost inseparable. When they arrived for our anniversary party in late May, it was obvious that Meg did not have long to live. She had no energy, no spring in her step. In fact she could barely manage a shaky walk, and she weighed no more than six pounds. Nancy and Meg About halfway through Saturday afternoon, in the bustle of the big day, Nancy discovered that Meg was missing. We brushed it off at first. No time to worry about a dog, she’s hiding in the house, we’ll find her later. Nancy looked and looked for Meg, and soon other people did too. They searched the house, because Meg had not gone outside, at least that anyone could recall. No Meg. She wasn’t in the house. Nancy searched outside too. She ventured in...

David Heiller I became a firm believer in seat belt use in 1980. My sister-in-law was on her way home to Brooklyn Center for Easter break that year. She was sitting in the front seat between two other people. The weather was terrible that day thanks to a spring snowstorm. As they traveled along Highway 316 south of Hastings, an oncoming vehicle lost control and hit them head on. My sister-in-law went through the wind shield. She did not die, but she suffered a closed head injury. She was in a coma for about a month, then spent years of physical therapy and cognitive rehabilitation. She has worked hard to make a good life for herself, but her life was changed forever that day. She didn’t have a seat belt on. Very likely she would have been spared serious injury had she been wearing one. There are a lot of stories out there like that. When we read them, we don’t really absorb them and internalize them. But since that, I have been a consistent seat belt wearer, 1954 Che...