The summer before we moved from Mandan to Miles City, so I was some months into year four of life.  Our house was in what was then a new development in the hills.  From our back door the prairie rolled away for miles.  One morning I went out the back door, descending the concrete blocks substituting for steps, and found myself face to face with two schoos (schmoon).  They stood motionless, both grinning widely, in the most friendly manner possible.  I wanted to rush  back into the house to tell Mom, to have her come to see the schmoos, but I worried that if I moved they would be scared off.  We stood fixed in this impasse for what seemed a long time, until I decided I had to take the chance.  When I finally persuaded Mom to come meet the Schmoos, they were gone.