So it was a chilly December morning and I went on one of my regular hikes along a trail close to where I live - a beautiful trail as the main path weaves over and around several waterfalls - and while I expect to see some wild life out there nothing could have prepared me for this…
To quote Austin Powers: “It’s a man, baby”… a man in a fur coat, that is. I kid you not! I first noticed him as I was coming down the path and swiftly got my trusted camera phone and made like I was texting hee hee :p.
As he passed, I ‘complimented’ him on the “nice coat” and then asked if it was real. To say the least, the only thing ‘faux’ about our exchange was my initial compliment. He replied (and was very smug I might add) that yes indeed it was a 100% genuine real coyote & fox fur coat. After which he asked, “Would you like to touch it?”
At least the furs were keeping someone warm. Around here coyotes and probably fox (both native gray and imported reds) would just be shot (coyotes always and foxes if they were raiding hen houses).
I had a cute rabbit fur muff when I was a wee child. Someday, if I can ever talk Mistermage into having rabbits… I’ll make one. I wish my sons were hunters because not only tasty venison/squirrel/turkey but I would love to make and decorate my own set of moccasins and maybe a vest.
HAHA I laughed off the question and said “Nah, that’s alright, I’m good.” He replied “Fair enough” and I said “Stay warm” and then he laughed and said “Oh, I will.” And that was that.
That’s a good point. I suppose I didn’t think about it like that, especially with the coyotes, as they’re a bit of a nuisance around where I live - they’ve even attacked some of the neighbors’ pets and what not.
Even so, it was rather surreal stumbling into Cruella de Vil’s male counterpart at 8/9 in the morning. What to do if I run into him again? I hike this trail a lot.
I forget what triggered it but last year my boss, who is a cat lover, and I got to talking about furs. I said something about how I prefer the fur on the animal, so she replied (with a smirk) that she had a mink coat. I said really? Yep. Did you know mink coats are made with cat skin? She looked horrified and said really? I let her off the hook and said no, not really. Then we moved on to safer topics. However, I didn’t want to tell her that it has happened.
Oh yes, you’re absolutely right, 'tis tragic… haha. Seriously, though, I think it was one of those things where you just had to be there because it wasn’t so much the question itself but the way he asked it that just made me cringe like “Eww, no thanks, dude.”
And besides, if I want to stroke a dead animal carcass there’s always roadkill, you know?
But maybe - just maybe - if I run into him again and he’s still wrapped up in his furs I’ll take him up on his offer (all while keeping a can of pepper spray hidden somewhere on me… just in case :D).
Yeah, what a dork! Wearing glasses and look at the way he folds his arms! I’m so glad there I can feel superior to others, it makes me feel so much better than any coat ever could.
You could remind him that fur is murder. After ensuring that your own wardrobe has no leather. Or wool or plant fibers that displaced wild animal habitat, or synthetic polymers whose creation creates toxic waste. In other words: kelp flatters those who know how to carry it off.
