The Great Crate

A blog about anything that comes to mind.
This morning I filled my water bottle and dug into the fridge looking for something to eat. I found some bread sticks from yesterday so I threw those on a plate, put them in the microwave, and while those were heating up I wandered a few feet over to the sliding glass door looking out into the backyard. As I sipped my water and peered out over the majesty that is suburban landscaping, I saw a chubby squirrel scampering across the yard. My parents are fond of throwing food out for them (peanuts, old bread, stuff like that) so seeing this wasn’t anything out of the box. There’s usually at least one critter rummaging back there. This guy was fearless though. First he got up on the porch and, in a zig-zag pattern, approached the door. He pressed his face right up against the glass. So I approached and started to tap on the glass. He moved off the step and then back up. I slid open the sliding glass door, leaving just a screen between us, and tapped on that with my hand. He moved closer and started twitching in a weird “should I run? should I stay?” dilemma. He was staring at me the whole time. He’d twist his body like he was going to run, then turn back quickly to look at me, then turn back and jump off the step, then move back up. It was highly entertaining to watch. I rewarded the chubby guy. He earned my respect. I threw a couple peanuts out there for him, causing him to move away a few feet before quickly returning. He took one eagerly, nibbled on it for a moment, then ran off the porch and hid behind the bush to eat. I could hear him crunching the shell. By this point in time my bread sticks were done so I sat there, wondering if he would return for the other peanuts I had thrown out onto the porch. He did. Four times. By the third time he returned he didn’t even run when I threw the peanut out to him, I opened the screen door and he stood there staring at me. Somewhere amongst all this, I realized I was sharing a moment with this squirrel. I named him Wilson. I grabbed my camera and walked outside while he was eating one of the peanuts and snapped a couple pictures. I wanted to remember this chubby squirrel and the moment we shared. Wilson, you will not be forgot.

This morning I filled my water bottle and dug into the fridge looking for something to eat. I found some bread sticks from yesterday so I threw those on a plate, put them in the microwave, and while those were heating up I wandered a few feet over to the sliding glass door looking out into the backyard. As I sipped my water and peered out over the majesty that is suburban landscaping, I saw a chubby squirrel scampering across the yard. My parents are fond of throwing food out for them (peanuts, old bread, stuff like that) so seeing this wasn’t anything out of the box. There’s usually at least one critter rummaging back there.

This guy was fearless though. First he got up on the porch and, in a zig-zag pattern, approached the door. He pressed his face right up against the glass. So I approached and started to tap on the glass. He moved off the step and then back up. I slid open the sliding glass door, leaving just a screen between us, and tapped on that with my hand. He moved closer and started twitching in a weird “should I run? should I stay?” dilemma. He was staring at me the whole time. He’d twist his body like he was going to run, then turn back quickly to look at me, then turn back and jump off the step, then move back up. It was highly entertaining to watch.

I rewarded the chubby guy. He earned my respect. I threw a couple peanuts out there for him, causing him to move away a few feet before quickly returning. He took one eagerly, nibbled on it for a moment, then ran off the porch and hid behind the bush to eat. I could hear him crunching the shell. By this point in time my bread sticks were done so I sat there, wondering if he would return for the other peanuts I had thrown out onto the porch. He did. Four times. By the third time he returned he didn’t even run when I threw the peanut out to him, I opened the screen door and he stood there staring at me. Somewhere amongst all this, I realized I was sharing a moment with this squirrel.

I named him Wilson. I grabbed my camera and walked outside while he was eating one of the peanuts and snapped a couple pictures. I wanted to remember this chubby squirrel and the moment we shared. Wilson, you will not be forgot.

  1. thegreatcrate posted this