We have a cabin on the back side of our place that recently underwent some modest renovations. These were prompted by damages as a result of a ruptured water heater. Like most unplanned renovations, and, frankly planned renovations, they end up exceeding, both in scope and cost, what you originally thought you might do and have to pay.
In any event, seeing how well things were looking, as I am wont to do, I decided that the cabin needed a name other than The Cabin, so I informed Janice that I thought we should name our place The Rabbit Box.
Much to my surprise, my name proposal was met with resistance from Janice. As she voiced her reservations, it became apparent to me that she thought a rabbit box was a place of hare assignation. Frankly, I was more than “surprised”. I was shocked.
Here was a woman raised at various times of her youth in Speigner, Alabama, and the Georgia metropolises of Blakely, Hilton, Damascus and Quitman before permanently coming to the big city of Perry. And, she didn’t know what a rabbit box was! Quickly, I disabused her mind of the purpose of the box: “It’s not a rabbit hotel, but is a rabbit trap!”
Quickly, Janice acceded to my naming request and, in fact, gave me a very nice two-sided sign supported by a metal frame with the words emblazoned thereon: The Rabbit Box at SoHo, which sign we have firmly embedded into the ground in the front of our cabin.
Still, her initial ignorance on this subject has continued to gnaw at me from time to time. If Janice Walker didn’t know what a rabbit box was, what about my four children, nine grandchildren, brothers, sisters, neices, nephews, great nieces and nephews, etc.?
Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think about this ‘rabbit box ignorance’ all of the time, but certain things bring it back to mind – and, I am totally unable to keep it from entering into my psyche. Let me give you an example.
A few days ago, I was looking at a list of Georgia legislators with information as to party affiliation, committee assignments, and when they first entered the House or Senate (putting “House” first is an old habit). Well, if my reading of the lengthy lists was accurate, there is nobody in the Georgia Legislature that was there when I came in 1973. Calvin Smyre was elected in 1974 and came in 1975, and there are some other “old heads” like Tyrone Brooks, Kathy Ashe, Bob Hanner, Alan Powell, Butch Parrish, Tommy Smith, John Yates, Jack Hill, Bill Jackson and George Hooks, but I’m pretty certain that none of the present members were there when I came in 1973.
Then, as it sometimes does, it hit me: I’ll bet that only a handful of the present Georgia legislators know what a rabbit box is! Sad. I wish I could do something about it. I believe if all the members knew what a rabbit box is (was?), we would have better state government.
I can’t improve the world, but I can help with my little part of it. Let me tell you how. I’ve commissioned a very good cabinet maker, Joe Howell, to build a rabbit box for me. I saw Joe outside the Mexican restaurant in Perry a few days ago, and inquired as to whether he knew how to build a rabbit box. I was relieved at his positive response. We then negotiated a price. He said, “15 to 20 dollars”, and I offered “25 dollars”. The deal was struck. I expect to have my box within the next few days.
A rabbit box is shaped like a large wooden shoe box. It has a trap door in the front. The rabbit goes in it to get food (carrots, lettuce, etc., placed in the back of the box) and trips a latch, which closes the door at the front of the box behind Mr. Brer Rabbit, and the rabbit is caught. That’s how it works.
In the olden days, like fifty years ago, or so, the trapper would kill the rabbit, cut off its feet for good luck charms (not the rabbit’s), and eat the rabbit. Now days, you would take a picture of the rabbit and let it go for a law protected Hawk to eat. Incidentally, if any of you Georgia legislators want a picture of the rabbit box and sign, simply email me, and I will send you a photo. Frankly, I believe if you knew more about rabbit boxes and such things, it would make you a better public servant. Of course, this is just my opinion, but it is pretty firmly held. You know, things like, always have a way to gracefully exit a bad situation, and don’t lose your career over a free meal or drink.
Another thing, you have to be careful when you set your trap. You might catch something you don’t need or want. I set lots of boxes, but never caught a rabbit. One time I did catch a ‘possum. Another thing you politicians need to be thinking about, and that is the traps others are setting for you. But, that’s fodder for another column on another day.
Walker Hulbert Gray & Moore, LLP is a Perry, Georgia law firm. This established middle Georgia law firm now offers online legal services in addition to our traditional legal practice in Perry, Georgia. An attorney at Walker Hulbert Gray & Moore can be your online lawyer!
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