Squirrelville
Yesterday, I went downstairs to do laundry before Terry came to pick me up to go out. I opened the basement door and took one step forward and stopped. A flash of gray movement caught my eye in the back. A large rodent ran up a pole......big bushy tail...a squirrel!! A squirrel had gotten into the basement. But how? They never come down into the foyer by the back door. Never seen one there, and not all alone. How did it get in?
Ok, I'll go chase it out, was my fleeting thought. But then, my mind's eye saw the squirrel panicking and turning on me to chomp down on my leg. I took stepped backward and closed the door. Not dealing with this. I've got to get ready to go.
I went back up to my place and called Randy. He's accustomed to dealing with nature from hiking and camping. I asked him what to do, and more importantly, if he was willing to do it.
"Don't chase him out. He might run and hide," he said. "Get something to lure him out. Food."
"Ok," I replied, "I've got some peanuts in the shell that are going a little stale. I'll use those. Actually, I'll see if Sargon wants to do it. Give him the chance first. If not, and I'm sure he won't, I'll call you back. I'll pay you for the service call. But you'd better wear some kind of protective clothing."
"Oh, yeah," Randy said. "I'll wear my 'shitkickers' - my big heavy boots."
"I'm getting a laugh out of the sight of you flailing around, with the squirrel attached and entirely covering your face!"
"Then you'd better make sure your camera has enough film!!" he laughed.
I went into the kitchen. I took out the peanuts and the book I was going to give Terry and went downstairs. Knocked on Sargon's door. I'm sure he was thinking I was going to complain about the dog urinating again (I did see a small spot on the pavement, but I am now documenting the spots for evidence first.)
Instead, he was treated to me standing there, holding up a bag of stale peanuts.
"There's a squirrel in the basement," I said. "I just saw it back by your dryer."
Sargon looked surprised. "Are you sure? Mickey [his girlfriend] is down there doing laundry. Are you sure it wasn't her?"
I almost burst out laughing. I wanted to say, "Methinks there's a slight difference in appearance. Plus, she's a small, slim woman, but she's not THAT small." Then I became annoyed - why would I say it was a squirrel if I didn't definitely see it? Why does he have to question me?///
"No, it's a squirrel. Do you want to try to lure it out?"
"Sure." We went down there and of course, it was nowhere to be found.
Sargon said, "It may be gone. I think it's the same squirrel that's always by our window. He comes and goes, and I think he has a way in and out down here. I'll put one peanut down here and see if it disappears."
Again, I verged on smirking and incredulity: No offense to squirrels, but I think it's safe to say that they really DO all look alike, unless one is a red squirrel. How could he conclude it was the same one he's seen?
Anyway, I went down there tonight and I couldn't find him. Let's hope he made an exit and is not hiding among my belongings to pop out at me when I've relaxed.
Ok, I'll go chase it out, was my fleeting thought. But then, my mind's eye saw the squirrel panicking and turning on me to chomp down on my leg. I took stepped backward and closed the door. Not dealing with this. I've got to get ready to go.
I went back up to my place and called Randy. He's accustomed to dealing with nature from hiking and camping. I asked him what to do, and more importantly, if he was willing to do it.
"Don't chase him out. He might run and hide," he said. "Get something to lure him out. Food."
"Ok," I replied, "I've got some peanuts in the shell that are going a little stale. I'll use those. Actually, I'll see if Sargon wants to do it. Give him the chance first. If not, and I'm sure he won't, I'll call you back. I'll pay you for the service call. But you'd better wear some kind of protective clothing."
"Oh, yeah," Randy said. "I'll wear my 'shitkickers' - my big heavy boots."
"I'm getting a laugh out of the sight of you flailing around, with the squirrel attached and entirely covering your face!"
"Then you'd better make sure your camera has enough film!!" he laughed.
I went into the kitchen. I took out the peanuts and the book I was going to give Terry and went downstairs. Knocked on Sargon's door. I'm sure he was thinking I was going to complain about the dog urinating again (I did see a small spot on the pavement, but I am now documenting the spots for evidence first.)
Instead, he was treated to me standing there, holding up a bag of stale peanuts.
"There's a squirrel in the basement," I said. "I just saw it back by your dryer."
Sargon looked surprised. "Are you sure? Mickey [his girlfriend] is down there doing laundry. Are you sure it wasn't her?"
I almost burst out laughing. I wanted to say, "Methinks there's a slight difference in appearance. Plus, she's a small, slim woman, but she's not THAT small." Then I became annoyed - why would I say it was a squirrel if I didn't definitely see it? Why does he have to question me?///
"No, it's a squirrel. Do you want to try to lure it out?"
"Sure." We went down there and of course, it was nowhere to be found.
Sargon said, "It may be gone. I think it's the same squirrel that's always by our window. He comes and goes, and I think he has a way in and out down here. I'll put one peanut down here and see if it disappears."
Again, I verged on smirking and incredulity: No offense to squirrels, but I think it's safe to say that they really DO all look alike, unless one is a red squirrel. How could he conclude it was the same one he's seen?
Anyway, I went down there tonight and I couldn't find him. Let's hope he made an exit and is not hiding among my belongings to pop out at me when I've relaxed.