Mayhem at Twin Oaks

As we hiked around a bend in old Johnston road that runs along the creek, we came to the place the map called Twin Oaks. There in the shade of two large trees was a bench and a woman sitting upon it. She stood up as we approached. We smiled and said hello. She did the same.

Would you take a picture of the four of us? Gregg asked, pointing to the trees. She agreed, and so we lined up in a row with the oaks behind us.

The woman took one picture and then suggested we try the flash, because the background was so bright. I walked over and fumbled with the camera (being without my glasses).

I think it's that button, she said.

Oh yes, I said, fumbling with that button and handing the camera back to her.

When I returned to the trees, the woman snapped another shot, but the flash still did not go off. She looked at the camera and then at me.

It doesn't matter, I said as I shrugged.

But now the flash was the least of our worries. At the other end of our line-of-four, there was a great commotion. Gregg was waving his arms around his head, and Kelley was, too.

It came straight at me! Gregg shouted. It got me on the nose!

There was more waving. Bees were buzzing in his hair and flying around his face. He ducked several times and then said, Let's go! It's time to go! He and Kelley walked off quickly, passing the woman and getting back on the trail.

The woman was staring at us dumbfounded. When I got to her, she just handed the camera to me and said nothing. Thank you, I said, but she had already turned and was continuing her hike away from us as fast as she possibly could.

Meanwhile, from a branch in one of the Live Oak trees just behind where we were standing and at exactly the height where Gregg's head was, we saw a stream of bees flying in and out of a large, dark hole.

A beehive! A beehive made us do it. But I have a feeling that the woman's story of the four people by the tree will be a little different.

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Government Canyon State Natural Area
San Antonio, TX

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