Where Mercy Is Shown, Mercy Is Given - Duane Dog Chapman [107]
With Beth on my side, there is an undeniable power between us that makes us impenetrable and unstoppable. We are much stronger together than we are apart. Beth is my rock, my voice of reason, and my almighty protector.
I know I will survive this round of starting over, but it’s harder than it used to be. My heartburn is so bad and constant. I have trouble sleeping at night and can barely keep my eyes open during the day. Even so, I keep on going like the Energizer bunny because I have to. In a way, the IRS is nothing more than a federal money detective agency, so as I would any other detective, I’ve got to respect them, be nice, and cooperate. This too shall pass.
I won’t get beaten down. But I do find it a bit ironic that the very same country that fought to extradite me to Mexico for capturing one of its most wanted fugitives is now standing in front of me, gun to my head, with their hand out saying, “Pay us or else…”
CHAPTER 19
(Lorrianne Paquette/Bella Miella Photography)
The greatest feeling in the world for a bounty hunter—especially this bounty hunter—is knowing justice will be served right after he’s caught a fugitive and put him in the backseat of the car. Something about that experience juices up my batteries and gives me the motivation to do it all over again day after day. If it weren’t fulfilling, I wouldn’t keep risking my life to do it. Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to do work that they’re passionate about. I’ve always made sure that I had that chance, even when the risks outweighed the reward. As long as I am able to physically keep up the hunt, I will be in the field chasing down criminals and helping to make our communities and country a safer place to live.
It wasn’t until a recent fishing trip in the Colorado Rockies that I realized there are alternative ways to keep my batteries charged, without all the adrenaline-pumping risk and danger of bounty hunting.
Beth and I decided to take the kids on a two-day fishing trip during a short break we had from filming our sixth season of Dog the Bounty Hunter. We camped out, fished for our food, and cooked over an open campfire every night. We shared a couple of unforgettable days of family bonding and getting back to the basics. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, especially when you’re juggling family, career, and looming financial obligations. I’m the type of guy who doesn’t likes to slow down, because I fear I may not want to gear back up again. This trip was different though. I needed some downtime. I wanted to spend a couple of nights with my family, out of cellular range from the rest of the world. I told my manager, lawyers, accountants, and producers I was checking out for a few days.
“If you need to reach me, it better be an emergency.” With that message clearly conveyed, I knew I would have the peace, quiet, and quality time with Beth and the kids that I so desperately wanted and needed. With everything that has transpired over the years since capturing Luster, I hadn’t taken any significant time off to enjoy being with my family. I missed the days of all of us being together.
On the last day of our trip, we anchored our rented pontoon boat toward the center of the lake. I sat back, stretched out my legs, and breathed in the clean, pure Rocky Mountain air. I could feel the crispness in my chest as it filled up my lungs. The pine trees were fragrant as the cool light breeze and warm sun skimmed my weathered face. My body began to relax as I thought about all of the years that had passed by, my many blessings and, even more so, the numerous life lessons I’d gathered along the way.
For a few minutes it was just me and God.
For the first time in years, I was calm. I didn’t have a care in the world. I wasn’t concerned about the IRS, getting back into production for season six of the show, or any of the drama from my past. Nope. It was all just flecks of dust in the scheme of what was truly important in life. I realized how absolutely blessed