My best friend, Clara, and I were about 10 years old, living in the small town of Columbia, Mississippi, when the neighborhood billy goat got out of his enclosure and chased us down the street. We’re now 57, and that story has brought us many laughs over the years.
KIMBERLY HOLMES EVANS FAYETTEVILLE, GEORGIA
Once, when I was walking in downtown Miami, a squirrel climbed up my leg. My screams sent it flying into a tree. The security guard who responded could not stop laughing.
OLGAINPRINT
I found myself face-to-face with a huge barracuda while snorkeling in the British Virgin Islands! Yikes!
AMY TYRRELL TAMPA, FLORIDA
My husband and I were on Molokai, Hawaii, and decided to walk over some fields to see the ocean. We climbed a fence and were met by a very angry bull, who chased us right back over the fence!
DIANA DONER LAFAYETTE, COLORADO
Either the time my 30-pound dog tumbled around with a raccoon (she was OK!) or when a possum made direct eye contact with me inside my apartment!
MARIA ADLEY RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
When I lived in Park City, Utah, a moose and her calves were in the backyard. I stepped outside, ever so slowly, to get a photo. The moose heard me, pranced in a circle, and then reared up at me. I ran back and was frightened of her retaliation for hours!
DENISE LIND CORRALES, NEW MEXICO
I was hiking in New Jersey when a black bear ran across the trail, about 20 feet in front of me. I walked in the other direction until I could no longer see him!
ALICE KIDD ANDOVER, NEW JERSEY
When I was a little kid, about 2 or 3, my mom took me to feed the ducks. Well, the ducks got overzealous and started chasing us. My mom got scared and took off without me! I still have a fuzzy memory of that day.
COOKSCRAPCRAFT
I was camping in Zimbabwe when I woke to a tribe of baboons trashing the campgrounds. I desperately had to use the bathroom and thought I could sneak out. Nope! Four giant baboons surrounded me, escorted me to the bathroom, waited for me, and escorted me back!
KIRA DOBSON OCEANO, CALIFORIA
I spent a college semester in Australia, and I managed to snap a picture with a bunch of kangaroos before they hopped off.
KENRIC DUNCAN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
In October, we went to Orange Beach, Alabama. The high - light of the trip: A dolphin swam up to a foot from where I was standing on the dock! Had I been more prepared, I probably would have jumped in.
MOLLY BROWNING ATLANTA
When we lived in Indonesia, we were playing golf and I saw this big black log in the middle of the fairway. It started moving toward us, and I realized it was an anaconda. It had to have been at least 15 feet long!
@ODIEHENRY
A few years ago, we were driving through Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa when our tiny car was surrounded by a family of elephants. We were unable to move for a while!
TINA LAM DURANGO, COLORADO
When I was in Costa Rica, a monkey approached a group of us and started acting very cute— waving, smiling. As everyone gathered around taking picures, I watched his sly monkey friend sneak into some - one’s backpack and steal snacks. Our guide said it happens all the time. Good thing they weren’t my snacks!
KATIELTILLMAN
I encountered a wild boar with tusks as I stepped out to cross a breezeway to my first-grade class - room. I ran back to the office, and the principal laughed as he said, “Welcome to country living in Alabama!”
DEBBIE KIRKLAND MADISON, ALABAMA
That time I watched from the couch as my dad tried to capture an adult raccoon who’d overstayed his welcome in our house. This was actually a recurring problem.
JUSTINE BLEDSOE PLEASANT HILL, OHIO
COMMUNICATIONS LEADER FOR TEAM RUBICON, A VETERAN-LED ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS COMMUNITIES DURING CRISES CHICAGO
Wildest animal encounter?
When I lived in Arizona, I saw a cat with her kittens burrow in the bushes near my mailbox. I reached in to give her a snuggle and realized just in time that it was a bobcat and her kittens!
The book you could read again and again:
Any from the Little House on the Prairie series. Those books instantly take me back to grade school, which was such a happy time.
What’s always in your bag?
Laneige lip balms. The gummy bear flavor is awesome!
What’s always in your car?
Great music playing through the speakers—mostly rock, like Bruce Springsteen and The Killers, with an occasional classical soundtrack thrown into the mix.
Who makes you laugh the most?
Stephen Colbert. He’s always spot-on and so creative in the way he invokes laughter and joy.
NEXT QUESTION
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Send an email (and a photo, if you want!) to yourwords@realsimple.com and let us know your answer. Your response could appear on these pages.
Illustration by Sol Cotti
COURTESY OF CAROLINE COSTELLO