Many years ago, I was driving a friend back to Wichita from Kansas City, where he had a major eye treatment....he really shouldn't have been driving.

We were in his VW Beetle, and it was dark...maybe 9PM. He was sitting in the passenger seat. Across the road ran a raccoon! Before I had time to do anything, Tony **grabbed the steering wheel** and yanked it to the right! Simultaneously, *I* grabbed the wheel back and we hit the raccoon!...and the little car did 2-3 two-wheel leans as I regained control. Closest I ever came to turning over in a ditch. I 'think' I might have avoided the raccoon if I hadn't had help.


I believe I said (after I began breathing again) something like: "Tony, you really should let the driver deal with things like that."... and he said "Sorry.."

As far as I remember, I had never hit anything else with a car except bugs on the window. I regret the raccoon, but like bugs, he was doing what he does, and took his chances. It doesn't seem to me any different if I am the proximate cause of his demise, rather than a hunter or a wolf. It 'feels' a bit different because I am not a hunter, and would rather nature decided the lifespan of critters.... but since I do NOT hunt, for food OR sport, I know that I make very little difference in the ecological balance.

You know... a million years ago, our remote ancestors killed and/or ate 'things' with no concept of 'karma'. Sometime in the last several thousand years an idea gradually developed in some places...and in religions like Jainism... that all 'organisms' had...ummm..'souls'?? or 'metaphysical essence'?? that somehow we had no business interfering with. (I knew a lady who wouldn't kill roaches... but would scoop them up and throw them out in the snow, where "God would decide what to do with them.") *sigh*
One wonders exactly when & how "All creatures great & small" got ...ummm...whatever it is they got that gives US karma if we mess with it. (Yes... my own opinion is that only **common sense** should decide what is 'fair game' for food and elimination.)

In my extended opinion, Bobert did his best to use common sense... which cost one turtle, and probably avoided worse situations.

Get off of the ledge, Bobert.. you have done far more good in your life than bad... I think the spirit of the turtle will be fine.