I turned off the freeway onto the streets of Sanfernado California, and then up the hill five miles to the front gates of the property, to the door of my home after being hit with a spotlight by the staff who was on security that night. After calling the staff member on the hill to say the weekly pass code, and then settling down for dinner and watching some TV and then having some heart-to-heart with my dad before going to bed, I would then just to do it all over again the next day.
Living in the canyon, had its advantage we had no crime and if there was an issue, it was handled extremely harsh, to make a point that people don’t come into the canyon to cause trouble, if you want to visit, our arms were open, but if not, don’t even bother to turn onto little Tujunga Canyon Road. There were a lot of friends that looked after each other, and one needed to stay alert, because sometimes the cattle would be on the road.
I remember at times that the moon would be so bright that it was brighter than the head lights on the car so we would just leave them off, and when it was raining we would see how far we could get before we even needed the lights on. They say if people live in the area where there are no lights other than the billions of stars in the sky that their eyes become adjusted to the lack of street lights, and flash lights were not needed unless we were looking for small animals. The only time we had to be careful was after a big rain storm because we didn’t know what got out the night before and what might be waiting for us when the door opens in the morning
On the weekend, I would meet the staff down at the tables out side the office, and work alongside, as if I was one of the them. I would help clean the cages and give fresh water to all the 1500 hundred animals. We would get the food ready for the large cats and prepare 900lbs. of chicken and 10 bales of hay to be thrown onto the flat bed to take the back 40 acres and someone would trail in the water tanker to feed and water the cows, horses, and lamas. The wolfs and high the hybrid is a another name for a dog that was forced to mate with a wolf and now doesn’t know if it is a wolf or a dog, so it hides in the furthest place back of their cage. On Sundays we would replay the game, but on this day we would give out slivers of grass and this would help with the digestion system of the cats and then call it a done by noon, which gave the staff can have time to do shopping and get their clothes washed.
In the evening there is a very peaceful breeze over the ranch and the stars would be out. between 10:00pm and 12:00pm the sound of the wild kingdom would start, First the coyotes would start then the hyenas and like the sound of a drum, chips were pounding the cages from the far side of the compound and then the less quiet of the orchestra would be the lions and then dead quiet we could even hear a pin drop from 20 feet away. At times it would be hard to sleep without the band of animals, but if we had no idea that they were there, it would scare the day lights out of you.
So if you are in Sanfernado Valley and want to see what people buy as a pet and then they don’t understand why a family member was killed and why the animals we have are more dangerous then the ones in the wild, I ask you to go on a tour of the compound to see a cougar or a lion so close you can feel the air from there nostrils. Then you’ll understand why God made them for the wild kingdom to be left in the wild kingdom and why he made a house cat to sleep with instead of an 850 lb. tiger. If you are there late in the evening and the stars are shinning and there is a warm breeze, you might just get to hear the call of the wild.
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