This thread reminds me of the joke about former British Prime Minister John Major. For those who don’t know, Major’s father was a circus performer. The joke was that Major was the only boy who ever grew up in a circus and then ran away from home to join an insurance firm.
It pretty well does, yes. It’s interesting to read it with an adult’s perspective. I still want my own falcon!
And I hear you loud and clear on the second part – I’m fine, and if all these people around me would just keep their crap to themselves, I’d be just peachy! As it is, I thought of a couple more skills I have to offer: I’m quite good at seeking out mushrooms and berries (I stick to porcini 'shrooms for safety’s sake) and I mix a mean cocktail. Also, I have TWO Swiss army knives, if I steal one from my son, which I’m totally prepared to do.
I spent three weeks in the deep woods with a rifle, 20 rounds, some fishing hooks and line and gained almost 10 pounds. I eat better off the land than I do from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. But your out of luck. My wife and I already have plans to be adopted by wolves and raised as their misfit cubs. And maybe founding an empire ------ but we’re not locked into that last part. But those wolves sound REAL good sometimes.
Huh. When I was around 23 I ran away to Hawaii (after bein’ reared in NJ, escape was a necessity). Now I’m in central Washington; not wet like the coast, but forested mountains galore.
Just do it, y’all. Either one. Trust me.
I already ran away, like Colibri. But if you take up madrabbitwoman’s offer and come to Australia, I’ll back cookies for you guys.
And you can use my phone to call your moms if you’re scared. 
I was going to run away with you, but then I heard this song and changed my mind:
We came home to the same thing in a country where we speak little of the language. The plumber is coming today (it’s taken 3 weeks to get that far).
I already tried defecting to the former Soviet Union - don’t try that. 
I much prefer the Mid East, but there is a bit of desert around… maybe you could get a job at the Ministry of Sand.
Wow - what a coincidence. We were cleaning out my mom’s place, and found one of the accordions we had from back when I was a kid. I took lessons for 3 years. Never got good at it, though. Wanna buy a used accordion?
Oh, yeah - back on topic. I can build a shelter that’ll keep you fairly dry, and I can do basic plumbing and some electrical work. I can cook a little, too. But I need snow in my life. Anyone want to start a branch office somewhere more or less along the 45th parallel?
Another hoopy frood willing to run off.
Hawaii’s nice but it’s got Volcanoes. I saw a documentary once about a guy who went to a little island with a big volcano–the place ended up sinking into the ocean!
I think Digital Stimulus is on the right track. I can vouch for Central Washington as an amazingly gorgeous place. Gets a little cold in the winter, but that’s what fireplaces and beer are for.
I’m pretty useful for growing & building stuff. Plus I’m quite fine with just sitting back and watching the clouds go by.
Hm, I’ve got a greyhound that can catch and kill small animals for food, and I know how to make beer. I’m in.
If you can clean and you don’t mind playing “Where Did The Cat Pee?” and “What’s That Smell?” you are welcome to come to my house. I’ll even cook.
I’m in too. I don’t know what I’m particularly good at, but I’ll offer to keep the hut nice and spiffy, cook and play catch with the dogs and a frisbe.
Can I be chief bottle washer? I’ll bring along my Foxfire books. With those, you can do anything.
I’ve always thought that if I ran away I’d go to Peru…anyone have any interest in that?
I’m really good at telling people how to do stuff…
I wanna come. I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll pitch in and help out.
I can cook stuff. If you have too many people already doing that I can wash dishes. I can wash & fold clothes and babysit. Do we need typists or computer-geeky skillz? I’m good for some of that too.
I am bored out of my tree. Let me come. You can share my leftover chocolate bars.
Hey, I got a set of those too!
I see there are many others who already own knives but I just cked and my swiss army knife has a leather punch.
So if anyone needs any leather punched (to add some ventilation holes to a hot, stuffy pair of shoes, or to help aerate the contents of your gucci bag with a little strategic punching, or a punched wallet could help the money dry in the event it got wet)…
well, this is the skill that I would like to contribute.
And although the punch was originally designed for leather in mind, I think other materials could successfully be punched also.
Maybe if someone wanted to open a tattoo parlor hut, in conjunction I could offer my services to pierce everyone’s body parts.
(I have not done this before but am confident I could become an expert puncher with very little practice.)
I can start the Runaway News and keep everyone updated on the latest happenings.
And cook, fix things, and play guitar and piano-- although it might be tough to move the piano.
I’m good at First Aid and kissing boo-boos and, having been a mom for a number of years, I can kill bugs.
I also can roll my Rs - a highly valued skill in many lands…
I can mend clothes, knit simple things, grow vegetables, play several musical instruments (for those relaxing nights around the fire after our hard work is done), cook relatively well and for relatively large numbers of people, and follow intelligent directions. I’m in.