City girl humiliation

A little background.  In case any of you don't know, my dad grew up VERY rural.  Miles down a dirt road, snowed in months out of the year, trapped between a mama moose and her calf in his yard, one room school house, etc.  He is a man's man.  And he has raised some ridiculously citified girls.  Now for my story...

Remember the reindeer living down the road from us?  Lianna was visiting yesterday and I asked if she wanted to take a drive and go see them.  The kids were all excited, they love to go see the reindeer.  We pile in the car and take off.

When we get to the ranch, there they are, about 30 reindeer, eating, growing huge racks (their antlers), and shedding heavy winter coats.  Up ahead I spy a man and decide to go ask if they are his animals.  I have been very curious as to how these animals ended up in this part of the world.  This is how the conversation played out.

"Um, excuse me, are these your animals?"

"Yes, they are."

"Now, they are reindeer, right?"

(In true excitement): "REINDEER?  Where??" (Very bad sign.)

"Um...."

"THOSE??  (Snicker to self.) Those aren't reindeer, those are elk.  You're not from around here, are you.

(Stammer, stutter):  "Oh, ha, um, I thought elk had thinner horns.

Lianna, whispering in the seat next to me, "Antlers Sara, antlers."

"I mean antlers."

What followed was a very kind story about how antlers grow and how we were welcome to drive past the animals any time.  I had really wanted to know how he came by owning the animals but was far to humiliated to ask.  We sped off, probably never to return.  I assure you we were the talk of his dinner table that night.  Honestly though, is it my fault that they look so much like reindeer??

Later that night when I told the story to my dad I asked him why on earth he had gone along with my reindeer theory.  He said he was sure I knew what an elk looked like and trusted me when I said they weren't elk.  I started to describe the animals.  Do elk have white butts?  Yep.  Do they have thick ANTLERS?  Of course.  Are they smaller than moose?  Certainly.  I blame my father for not saving me from city girl embarrassment.  

The most distressing part of the story for my dad is that I can't get Nathan to now say they are elk.  After we got home Nathan said something about liking the reindeer and Lianna said, "You know, you can also call them elk."  Nathan scowled at her and said, "NO, reindeer."  My dad told me that I have to have Nathan calling them elk by Lianna's wedding.  We will be seeing his brother, my uncle then, and that man is an outfitter for heaven's sake.  His son's first word was elk.  It's all so embarrassing.