Sometimes you just have to use your instincts when living among deadly plants and animals in the desert. This is the story of one of those times.

One late spring weekend, my girlfriends and I gathered for our annual slumber party at a beautiful upscale resort at the base of the Catalina Mountains. We had a wonderful time, laughing, drinking wine and eating junk food. On Friday night, we plotted our Saturday morning rendezvous – the plan? To be waited on by the cute cabana boys at the resorts pool, shadowed under the rugged mountain peaks that rose above. A lovely goal in a lovely setting.

We gathered some light breakfast fare, donned our swimsuits and headed over to the pool. The wildlife the night before was limited to a very well-fed skunk who apparently waddles his way inspecting the ground of the resort nightly, so we went to the pool feeling carefree and ready to relax.

In the desert, you really have to be careful where and when you do such things as: go barefoot, walk in the dark, and go outside in the sun. All are known to cause possible damage to your health, your day or even your life. You really have to keep your guard up when you share the world with dangerous creatures such as scorpions who are virtually invisible, cactus that “jump”, javalinas who tip garbage cans and snakes who like to hide under rocks.

Our guards were down, what can I say, so we were at risk to be swept away by the quiet peaceful morning next to the mountains. We were lulled by the doves cooing, the smells of the clean morning desert and the cute cabana boys.

As we blissfully walked back to our room after our morning bask at the poolside, what did we spot? A trio of javalina drinking at the resort stream. Mom, dad and baby. What a gift! We squatted down to watch them as they drank. “Look how cute the baby is!” We cooed in unison. We were mesmerized. Until – the dad saw us!!!!!!!

He turned on his spikey hooves and proceeded to chase us. Oh my goodness! We ran for our lives. My girlfriend, Lisa, was a track star, so she was running like her life depended on it. Me? I'm not, so I wasn't.

I started thinking real fast... “Okay, so I can't run worth a damn. I have a good brain, at least smarter than a javalina, what can I do?” So, as I was running (and thinking), I groped around in my bag and felt the light breakfast fare remnants we had brought to the pool. Grapes! Thank heavens! I reached in my bag, grabbed a handful and threw them at the javalina. And he stopped!!

That javalina could not have stopped faster. Food! Snort-snort-snort... he was really enjoying those grapes. When I stopped running, I noticed a few people had joined the chase, including a man with a giant boulder (we had to stop him). All of us stood around that javalina while he ate and he never re-instated the pursuit, as I think he forgot. And, I think he also forgot about his little family, because do you think that he called them over to share his bounty? Ah, heck no. He's a pig for goodness sake.

Ana Lewis

Founder

WomenontheVerge.net