Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?

Eastern box turtle has been making its way about the Carolina heartland since before the dawn of man. 

This narrow stretch of asphalt first appeared on the landscape less than a century ago.

I've been traveling a new delivery route into eastern Chatham county for only a few weeks now, but each trip so far has included an encounter with eastern box turtle.

Along about eleven, as I wend my way along the narrow and curvy yellow and white-striped ribbons of carefully engineered and constructed right-of-way, eastern box turtle travels steadfastly along the ancient routes of its tribe. 

As we travel our disparate paths in pursuit of sustenance, chance brings us together for one brief moment.

A momentary pause on both our parts.

An assist across the sun-baked hardpan, and our journeys resume. 

A tragedy averted perhaps, a lesson remembered for sure.

Why did the turtle cross the road?  Because I put it there...