The Tale of a Fierce Bold Squirrel

[ap_aelfwine]

Well, today I wasn't in an especial hurry to get to campus, so I walked from the station. I do this fairly often, when the weather's decentish--it's maybe a mile and a half.

Along the way, I decided to stop into a little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese sandwich place. The sun being shining, and the cold not too bad where the sunlight did fall, I decided I'd eat in a conveniently placed park, as often I would.

So, there I was sitting on a bench with a baguette full of cilantro, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, chicken, and such, when a squirrel came up to me and chittered. I was contemplating tearing off a bit of bread for him, when he decided I wasn't moving fast enough and leapt first to the bench, and thence onto my knee.

I wasn't going to stand for this, so I shooed him away. He leapt to the arm of the bench, and then to a nearby fence where he sat looking at me for some few moments, as if to say "Well, why aren't you co-operating?" before bouncing away.

He didn't act rabid at all, thanks be to God, although later I did think Jesus, what if he had bit me? Would the uni's health clinic treat me for it? If such a thing were to happen, should I try to wring the creature's neck and bring the body along for testing? But fortunately, he was, I think, simply a very bold squirrel.

"I am a bold squirrel and me name it is Nutkin
I've worked at me trade, and it's very well known,
That pestering people makes a squirrel grow thirsty
But only for that I'd leave liquor alone."

Well, maybe not. ;-)

Comments

[a-treitell.livejournal.com]

wow... and I thought cornell squirrels were cheeky...

I've only been squared off against by them when referring to them as "fat" (they are!!! but he was very unhappy with my pointing it out.)

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

They care about folk saying they're fat?

Actually, I find that even more impressive than my little friend from this afternoon. ;-)

(The sad thing is that I'm planning to go back next week and see if I can meet him again. Only this time I mean to have peanuts or something like to feed him, and my camera ready to take pictures. I am _such_ a geek. ;-)

[a-treitell.livejournal.com]

*laughs* One morning I was walking into my building and I squeed over this one adorably fat squirrel, and he came CHARGING up to me and sort of stood there like a boxer sort of waiting to see what I would do (and I stood there wondering if I wasn't going to have to kick a squirrel if he actually went to try to attack me, which makes me sad, I really like squirrels (I sort of think of them as sort of my totem, there are a lot of common traits *laughs*))...

As it happens I walked around him and all was fine, but apparently after I went into my office, he charged up to Greg (who was laughing hysterically about 10 feet behind me) and did the SAME thing.

He was HIGHLY offended that we called him fat... *laughs*

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

*snort*
That's a wonderful story. Glad your local squirrels have such character.

[a-treitell.livejournal.com]

(and going back to try to meet him makes perfect sense to me, so you know)

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one. ;-)

My father actually told me I should go find him with things to feed him, and have my camera ready. Which in a sense didn't surprise me, once he'd heard the story and thought it was neat, but at the same time I was nervous telling him cos I was worried he'd start worrying about whether the squirrel could've been rabid, etc. I'm pleased he didn't react that way.

(Íosa, I hope that makes sense. I've got to log out--I think I only get 2 hours the day with my Starbucks card, and it's probably soon that will be up.)

[a-treitell.livejournal.com]

Yeahhhh it's always hard with family that thinks sort of similarly to you but is prone to worrying, entertainingly my Da is much the same way.. :)

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

It is. And I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. ;-)