The Scariest Thing.
I was walking home from a late night visit at the cinema, when I realized, it once again was time for toad migration.
On the way from the subway to where I live, there's both ponds and lakes, and each summer, little and big toads try to cross the street there.
When I came across the first (not so little) toad, I immediately scooped it up. It was a calm little fellow, moving about just a little bit, but staying in my hand without struggle.
I had just taken a few steps, when I saw another one, put the first into my right and scooped this one up, too. Now, all of this was in a train underpass, so there was nowhere for me to put the little ones yet.
That second one had an entirely different personality! It tried to squeeze between my fingers and get out of my hand as soon as possible. The first I could stare at for minutes without it ever leaving my open palm, but this one, it jumped away as soon as I would open it *laughs*
So I held them both in my loosely closed fist while walking on.
Then suddenly, a third, much smaller one. I picked that one up, too, and soon I found a better place to cross the street.
This is where I took the pictures of the pretties.
This is the second, fast one, and the tiny baby behind it. Perspective makes them look equal. When I had sat the second down like that, it didn't actually try running away. For a while, hehe.
Where the first one was at that point?
Still in my palm, taking it all in.
Such beautiful eyes.
You know how amazing it is, when you just look at animals, wild animals like these, and suddenly, they meet your eyes, keep the contact, and then start walking towards you? The first one was like that.
It was time though.
I put them all in the grass, one by one (as expected, the second one jumped away as soon as it had felt the wet grass under its webbed feet), crossed the street again and proceeded my way back home.
Until I met another.
And another.
And another.
I actually lost count! It must have been at least four or five more toads that I found, scooped up and brought to the other side all together.
And there were cars, so I had to wait them out, too *laughs*
I had just wondered about whether I was actually bringing them to the correct side of the street - I used to be sure, for I'd seen them try crossing it before, but how sure was I really? Maybe not a full 100% anymore...
This is when the scariest thing happened.
I was literally frozen to the spot.
A toad sat on the edge of the street, and I was just about to lean down and grab it, when it jumped onto it... and then I saw the cars. First, one from the left. Luckily, the little one had not moved much from the border yet, so it was safe.
No more cars from that side, and the toad happily jumped on, unerringly, and in a perfectly straight line across the street. [So much about which side they migrate to.] However, I saw the cars. Headlights, from the other side.
I wanted to walk after it to get it away from the street, but the cars were too damn close, and I wouldn't risk getting myself hit by a car, so I just stood there, watching the toad jump toward the middle of the street
... one car passed it by, with maybe a hand's width between them. There was another one right behind it. The toad stayed where it was. There were more headlights. I sucked in my breath and stared at the street. I knew I couldn't do much, but I called together all that I had a right to call and please help it please help it please help it, when the toad took another little leap, right to where most cars had their wheels, and ZOOM, a car went right over it, I clenched my teeth, stared at where the toad had been, and saw how it was toppled over in an involuntary summersault...
But it got back up again and jumped on.
I took a deep breath. It wasn't over though. The toad was in the middle of the lane, and there were more headlights. Seriously?! That late at night, there's usually not more than three cars behind another, but there must have been at least five! ...
Well. It jumped, and jumped, and the cars passed the street, and in the end it had reached the other side, unable to climb the kerbstone. I took another very, very deep breath, crossed the street and scooped it up to put it a safe distance away.
Holy fucking SHIT.
SERIOUSLY.
That was some of the scariest shit I've faced in a while.
Well, thanks were given, more toads carried over, and I know was 200% certain where to go.
By that time, I had reached a point on my way where I'd rarely ever seen toads on the street anymore. I thought it was behind me (but no, I met one or two other after that)
And then, the most miraculous thing... down there on the dark pathway was another, dark spot... it wasn't moving... but it didn't feel like a stick to me, so, toad in my hand at that point, I leaned down, and I almost squealed.
A NEWT!!!
IT WAS A NEWT!
In the middle of the city!
The last time I ever saw one alive was when I was 8 or 9 or something, and that was on the countryside! I was so fucking happy, haha!
It seemed to want to cross the street, too, at least it was headed that way, so I tried scooping it up, as well. That turned out to be a little harder than with the toadsies, since it was so tiny and fragile, but in the end the little fellow was on my hand, and, after bringing the toad to the other side, I took a few pictures of it, too.
Always needed to find the next street lamp though *laughs*
Look at the cute baby!!!
It also was one of those that just look at you, turn, and come crawling towards your face *laughs* It seemed to consider jumping, but then decided against it. Such a lovely creature!
Speaking of which, while I had been kneeling, watching the three first toads, taking pictures and being stared into my soul, suddenly someone called out to me - I hadn't heard the first times, since I was listening to music and was heavily distracted, but then I looked up, and a cyclist had stopped her bike and came towards me "Hello? Hello? Are you alright?" I quickly assured the lady that I was. She had thought I might have fallen or maybe I was hurt, so I vehemently shook my head (toads crawling all over me) and smiled, and she took a breath of relief, wished me a good night and all the best, and drove off.
Considerate people: They still exist. [good timing with that one, too, since I had one of the other kind next to me during the film ahah. *shot*]
Well, that's what I call one successful night ヽ(´▽｀)ノ
So long,
ららバイ
On the way from the subway to where I live, there's both ponds and lakes, and each summer, little and big toads try to cross the street there.
When I came across the first (not so little) toad, I immediately scooped it up. It was a calm little fellow, moving about just a little bit, but staying in my hand without struggle.
I had just taken a few steps, when I saw another one, put the first into my right and scooped this one up, too. Now, all of this was in a train underpass, so there was nowhere for me to put the little ones yet.
That second one had an entirely different personality! It tried to squeeze between my fingers and get out of my hand as soon as possible. The first I could stare at for minutes without it ever leaving my open palm, but this one, it jumped away as soon as I would open it *laughs*
So I held them both in my loosely closed fist while walking on.
Then suddenly, a third, much smaller one. I picked that one up, too, and soon I found a better place to cross the street.
This is where I took the pictures of the pretties.
This is the second, fast one, and the tiny baby behind it. Perspective makes them look equal. When I had sat the second down like that, it didn't actually try running away. For a while, hehe.
Where the first one was at that point?
Still in my palm, taking it all in.
Such beautiful eyes.
You know how amazing it is, when you just look at animals, wild animals like these, and suddenly, they meet your eyes, keep the contact, and then start walking towards you? The first one was like that.
It was time though.
I put them all in the grass, one by one (as expected, the second one jumped away as soon as it had felt the wet grass under its webbed feet), crossed the street again and proceeded my way back home.
Until I met another.
And another.
And another.
I actually lost count! It must have been at least four or five more toads that I found, scooped up and brought to the other side all together.
And there were cars, so I had to wait them out, too *laughs*
I had just wondered about whether I was actually bringing them to the correct side of the street - I used to be sure, for I'd seen them try crossing it before, but how sure was I really? Maybe not a full 100% anymore...
This is when the scariest thing happened.
I was literally frozen to the spot.
A toad sat on the edge of the street, and I was just about to lean down and grab it, when it jumped onto it... and then I saw the cars. First, one from the left. Luckily, the little one had not moved much from the border yet, so it was safe.
No more cars from that side, and the toad happily jumped on, unerringly, and in a perfectly straight line across the street. [So much about which side they migrate to.] However, I saw the cars. Headlights, from the other side.
I wanted to walk after it to get it away from the street, but the cars were too damn close, and I wouldn't risk getting myself hit by a car, so I just stood there, watching the toad jump toward the middle of the street
... one car passed it by, with maybe a hand's width between them. There was another one right behind it. The toad stayed where it was. There were more headlights. I sucked in my breath and stared at the street. I knew I couldn't do much, but I called together all that I had a right to call and please help it please help it please help it, when the toad took another little leap, right to where most cars had their wheels, and ZOOM, a car went right over it, I clenched my teeth, stared at where the toad had been, and saw how it was toppled over in an involuntary summersault...
But it got back up again and jumped on.
I took a deep breath. It wasn't over though. The toad was in the middle of the lane, and there were more headlights. Seriously?! That late at night, there's usually not more than three cars behind another, but there must have been at least five! ...
Well. It jumped, and jumped, and the cars passed the street, and in the end it had reached the other side, unable to climb the kerbstone. I took another very, very deep breath, crossed the street and scooped it up to put it a safe distance away.
Holy fucking SHIT.
SERIOUSLY.
That was some of the scariest shit I've faced in a while.
Well, thanks were given, more toads carried over, and I know was 200% certain where to go.
By that time, I had reached a point on my way where I'd rarely ever seen toads on the street anymore. I thought it was behind me (but no, I met one or two other after that)
And then, the most miraculous thing... down there on the dark pathway was another, dark spot... it wasn't moving... but it didn't feel like a stick to me, so, toad in my hand at that point, I leaned down, and I almost squealed.
A NEWT!!!
IT WAS A NEWT!
In the middle of the city!
The last time I ever saw one alive was when I was 8 or 9 or something, and that was on the countryside! I was so fucking happy, haha!
It seemed to want to cross the street, too, at least it was headed that way, so I tried scooping it up, as well. That turned out to be a little harder than with the toadsies, since it was so tiny and fragile, but in the end the little fellow was on my hand, and, after bringing the toad to the other side, I took a few pictures of it, too.
Always needed to find the next street lamp though *laughs*
Look at the cute baby!!!
It also was one of those that just look at you, turn, and come crawling towards your face *laughs* It seemed to consider jumping, but then decided against it. Such a lovely creature!
Speaking of which, while I had been kneeling, watching the three first toads, taking pictures and being stared into my soul, suddenly someone called out to me - I hadn't heard the first times, since I was listening to music and was heavily distracted, but then I looked up, and a cyclist had stopped her bike and came towards me "Hello? Hello? Are you alright?" I quickly assured the lady that I was. She had thought I might have fallen or maybe I was hurt, so I vehemently shook my head (toads crawling all over me) and smiled, and she took a breath of relief, wished me a good night and all the best, and drove off.
Considerate people: They still exist. [good timing with that one, too, since I had one of the other kind next to me during the film ahah. *shot*]
Well, that's what I call one successful night ヽ(´▽｀)ノ
So long,
ららバイ