Right. So anyway...
This past friday was my birthday, and last sunday was mother's day, so we decided to celebrate at our country home. And for us in the southern part of Brazil there's hardly better ways to celebrate than a barbecue. (You guys are probably familiar with how we do it.)
At some point, someone figured we had been BBQ'ing way too much meat and there was no way we could eat it all. So I gave them the idea to give our groundskeeper some. Since I gave the idea, I also volunteered to bring the meat.
From our home to the groundskeepers it's a little less than 500 meters, and then there's a slope for some 200 meters more. It's hardly a hike, but we're not exactly neighbors either. I was about halfway past when I saw the jaguar. It immediately growled at me, baring its teeth. And it started circling. Not a good sign.
I was too far from anywhere that would be able to help. The groundskeeper does have a gun, but I couldn't outrun a jaguar, and either way I'd have to go PAST it to get there. Plus it probably would go to where my family was, sensing the smell of meat.
So I figure. Sure, let's do this thing.
I took my shirt off and stared the jaguar down as I stretched a little. The big thing stopped dead in its tracks. I couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed sort of confused. Eventually, it stopped growling. But it did start walking towards me, albeit slowly. It leaned onto its front paws, which I thought meant it was about to pounce...
...and then lay down completely. And whimpered, looking at me.
I tore off a piece of meat and approached the jaguar. No reaction.
"Gimme paw."
To my surprise, the beast played along.
"Good kitty."
I fed it the meat, which it licked off my hand, gave its head a little scratch and went off on my way.