You remember. When RIP Daddy still was alive, one day he went to the Shed Room and there was Mama Squirrel, bold as brass, rescuing her Baby Black Squirrel. (AKA, L’il Rascal). Momma said they thought that Mama and Poppa Squirrel had things under control, but never kid a kidder. It seems this era of Squirrels-Just-Wanna-Have-Fun are part of the Millennium Generation, whose sense of entitlement is as large as the universe and as guaranteed as death and taxes. How would you know this, you ask? Well, we are so glad you took the time to ask (or did you)?
The next few days in the shed room were uneventful. Then all hell broke loose. Wonder Boy heard the shrill shriek of a squirrel, as he toasted his bagel in the kitchen. He opened the kitchen door and called, ‘Squirrel, shut up, already.’ There was total silence. He closed the door, went back to the toaster and then he heard it, again, more plaintive than demanding, this time. It was unmistakable hysterical sobbing, that would make anyone with an ounce of compassion ask, ‘What can I do?’
Gingerly, Wonder Boy and Momma stepped into the Shed Room and started looking around to see where the crying came from. It was not on the floor, not on the ceiling rafters, no, it seemed to be half way up the wall. Wonder Boy pointed. There was a plastic bag, stuffed with more plastic bags, hanging on a hook and from the way it was moving, it was either possessed by the Holy Spirit or had unexpectedly became the home of a squirrel who did not listen to authority figures when warned of the perils of unknown danger lurking outside the perimeters of the home base.
Wonder Boy, being a strategist, put on gloves, grabbed a broom and carefully lifted the bag off the hook. Momma’s job was to open the back door in order to release the captured prey in the back yard. Of course as Momma pushed the door open, it got caught on the carpet on the floor, which made Wonder Boy anxious and added traitorous seconds to a job that should have been swift, accurate and finished before it started. So, like the young Mr. Trudeau, Momma is just not ready yet (Canadian will get the meaning) to join the Green Beret, the CIA or JSOC.
However finally the door was opened, Wonder Boy manoeuvred the bags in a bag on a broom handle out the door and set it down on the back yard. Now from the shrieks we had heard, we expected it was Mr. Grey or Mrs. Black Grey Squirrel.
From Morguefile.com
By Acrylic Artist
No, out hopped L’il Rascal Squirrel, going like the proverbial Road Runner, somehow managing to find a pile of slabs and rocks that he squeezed his body through, then peeked out with a grin on his face, at the family cats, prowling around, sniffing disdainfully, tails in the air, obviously recognizing bad behavior when they saw it. Not that the cats ever seemed to attack squirrels but without the protection of Momma and Poppa, it can be a cold, hard, cruel world.
Mission accomplished. Wonder Boy and Momma went inside and worried. Would Momma Squirrel rescue him again or was L’il Rascal more trouble then he was worth?
They need not have been concerned. Next morning when they stepped in to the shed room, they were greeted with the purrs and coos of L’il Rascal, who hid behind the recycling bins, but with Wonder Boy’s encouragement (purring back, saying. “Hey, Little Buddy”) he would stick his head out and make eye contact. Apparently yesterday’s liberation from the plastic bag with bags inside was a bonding experience and the family had earned his trust.
Again the next morning L’il Rascal was back. This time he brought his grey sibling, L’il Scallywag. The L’il Rascal had to show off how tight he was with the family, as he would actually come out every time Wonder Boy called him.
080.JPGBy binks
However L’il Scalawag, with generations of caution bred in his DNA, kept hidden and purred and cooed only. Okay, okay, Momma likes wild life but is more her mother’s daughter in that she does not want them running over her feet when she stepped in to the shed room and never in the house. She imagines fleas on every surface, scratching as if she had a combination of chicken pox and measles. Her way or the high way, our Momma.
I have got to say, it is a good job this family of squirrels did not come around in my day. I would have put the boots to them. I can be so annoying that it can be a curse and a blessing. And I don’t care how cute you are with your beady little eyes and bushy tails, you are not living in my Kingdom come.
I know I know, she was to die for pretty – but like the Tin man- ‘If she only had a brain.’
However, in those long ago days it was Zanny territory. Her attitude was ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’ You can’t encourage these types especially because well, because L’il Rascal was a rascal (as was Zanny). So stay tuned.
