内容正文:
A 92-year-old hunter getting lost in the woods
Bill McDonnell was going hunting. Deer season had begun, but it was colder than usual. Up until his late 80s, Bill hadn’t minded hunting in sub-zero temperatures, but he had slowed in the past few years. The snow-dusted mountains of the Shenandoah Valley were no place for a 92-year-old. He knew it. But he had made up his mind to get outside. His wife, Joanna McDonnell, knew what he was up to. But this particular day, Joanna didn’t even try to talk sense into her husband.
The next morning, Bill woke up at four, grabbed his gun, and drove his Jeep toward Shenandoah Mountain, a place where he hadn’t hunted for a long time. At the end of the old Laurel Run logging road, he hit the trail on foot.
It was about 7:30 a.m. when the sun peeked (微微露出) through the trees. Bill had strict instructions from Joanna to be out of the woods by 2 p.m. and home by 3 p.m. — plenty of time before sunset, in case he missed the deadline, which he often did. Not long into the hike, he came upon a path he didn’t remember. Maybe this was a secret route. He took it.
Then, around 11 a.m., he emerged into a clearing along a valley. It seemed that his path up the mountain had meandered (蜿蜒) quite a bit. When thoughts of short-cuts came to mind, Bill couldn’t help himself. “I’ll just be extra careful,” he reasoned, and began cutting his own path. Before long, the canyon (峡谷) narrowed to a dead end. The next thing he knew was that he was lost.
He pulled out his phone, only to find it had died. He dug into his pants for the GPS device he always brought in case of emergency and pushed the “on” button. Nothing. He had forgotten to charge it. He hadn’t brought a flashlight either. During this period, he could hear the sound of a helicopter flying over his head. He yelled and waved, but in vain. He couldn’t make himself heard.
Para.1: It was about 9:45 p.m. and the sound of the helicopter gradually softened in the distance.
Para.2: The next morning, Bill