One morning, after I choked down a bowl of cereal, I…
““One morning, after I choked down a bowl of cereal, I looked outside the window and saw a mountain lion siting on the hood of my car, licking his paws--likely, I imagined, after tearing a neighboring rancher’s wife from limb to limb and eating her for breakfast. I darted to the phone and called Marlboro Man, telling him there was a mountain lion sitting on my car. My heart beat inside my chest. I had no idea mountain lions were indigenous to the area. “It’s probably just a bobcat,” Marlboro Man reassured me. I didn’t believe him. “No way--it’s huge,” I cried. “It’s seriously got to be a mountain lion!” “I’ve gotta go,” he said. Cows mooed in the background. I hung up the phone, incredulous at Marlboro Man’s lack of concern, and banged on the window with the palm of my hand, hoping to scare the wild cat away. But it only looked up and stared at me through the window, imagining me on a plate with a side of pureed trout.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A vivid, humorous recount of a terrifying encounter with a mountain lion, highlighting fear, disbelief, and the absurdity of seeking reassurance from an unlikely source.
In simple terms: A scary animal on a car makes the narrator panic and doubt advice.
Key Takeaway
Stay calm and assess danger before reacting.
Themes
fear
humor
wildlife encounters
misinformation
reliance on others
Mood
anxious
amused
skeptical
Type
anecdotal
humorous
cautionary
When to use this quote
- camping trips
- rural driving
- emergency calls
- animal sightings
- self‑defense
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
risk perception
human‑animal interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you do if you saw a wild animal on your vehicle?
- How reliable is advice from strangers in emergencies?
A Different Perspective
The narrator’s panic may have exaggerated the threat; the animal might have been harmless.