Saturday, February 18, 2012

Precious Memories of Pet


Precious Memories of Pet

 
My Pet Squirrel

Pet adopted me, it was not me adopting him. 

During warm days I leave the sliding glass doors open.  I know, I know – bugs and stuff get in.  It’s okay – I’ll pay that price for the fresh air.  One day Pet decided to come into the kitchen.  I was horrified – oh, he would get scared, feel trapped, want to get out and forget how to get out.  So, in the process of looking for a way out, he would destroy and in general create havoc.  But there was something about him that made me doubt my idea of panic. I watched from afar.  He went to the bottom shelf of a bookcase and began searching for the bag of roasted peanuts I had bought from SC on my return trip home.  I had forgotten about them.  What a good nose he has.

Carefully I went over, took out a handful of peanuts, put them on the floor and watched him eat them.  The cats just watched.  Pet was just alert and watched them.  When Pet finished eating, he investigated the rooms a little bit and then left by the same door which he entered.

Oh that was fun and exciting.  I guess it’ll be the only time he’ll do such a thing. 
And I let it go.

A few days later, he once again appeared in the kitchen.  Where are the peanuts?  Do I have to come get them? 

I put a couple of handfuls in a tray, put it down in the living room and watched.  The cats watched too.  Nobody got excited.  Pet ate, the cats watched.  Some days the squirrel or cats would feel frisky and chase each other around the chair a time or two and then Pet would go back to eating and the cats would go back to napping. 

He visited all summer.  Sometimes, I’d feed him sunflower seeds on the deck railing.  He loved those.  I decided to hold them in my hand and see if he would take them.  I know, I know.  I was worried about him biting me and have rabies or some other terrible disease but I could not resist so I took the risk.  He came up, put his little paws on my fingers and took the seed.  He loved it.  He stayed and ate until he was filled.  I was so excited.  

There is something so special about a  connection with a wild animal.  It’s called trust. 

One day after about a year, he showed up, limping.  He ate from my hand and I never saw him again. 

That special time – the time a squirrel let me be his friend, is filed away under “Precious Memories”.


Top - Pet checking out the kitchen
Bottom Left - Cat, Starr checking out that strange thing
Bottom Right - Cat, Midas checking out that strange thing from the safety of a chair

1 comment:

marciamayo said...

What a gift Pet was, Mary. It just shows how some of the best gifts are short lived, like chocolates and roses. They give us great joy and then go away.