Moody Meow

Liberal, lunatic lassie, with mood swings and foot-in-mouth syndrome

His name was ‘Possum

Posted on | July 29, 2005 | 3 Comments

When I came home on Wednesday, the dogs were particularly spritely. Puck bounced higher, and Pip squeeked louder. Food seemed to shut them up, but only for a moment. Then the barking began. Ferociously, Puck attacked the rolling cabinet in the hallway, jamming his slobbery snout beneath it. Pip howled, wagging his tail. He bounced over Puck’s back, trying to get involved in what ever was going on under the cabinet. Even the cats lurked about, like sharks looking for a nice meal. I pulled both dogs away. Irritated, I tossed them outside and ignored their whines. I figured an errant lizard had found its way into our home. Or maybe ::: cringe:: a roach. I bent over, trying to ignore the kittyfur/dustbunnies floating along the dark floor.

Then I saw it.
Two pale feet with white nails.
Not Roach.
Not frog.
Bird?
Mammal?
I dialed the phone as I ran around the house, I tossing both cats into my office. The phone rang forever. I paced. Finally “Hello?”
“David, there’s something with feet beneath the rolling cabinet!!” I fell to my knees, trying to peer find the source of my dog’s distress. At first I thought it was a bird. I was wrong. “It’s a POSSUM!!!!” I screamed into the phone.
“I’m heading home now, I guess.” I could hear the almost-smile in his voice.
“Hurry up!! I don’t know what to do. I’ll keep the dogs out side. I’ll keep the cats in their room. See you soon.” I expeled a heavy breath.

I hung up, and spent most of the next fifteen minutes on my belly in the hallway. All you could see of the poor creature was a panting mouth and his teensy little feet. His black eyes followed me as I peered at him from different angles. I couldn’t figure out where the rest of his body was. He was just a head, a little neck and some feet. I’d never seen a baby possum before.
I tried to talk him into walking out. I offered to hold the door (the front one, of course) open for him, allowing him to return to the wild. Then I queried him on how he came to be trapped beneath the rolling cabinet, how get got into the house and whether or not my creatures assulted him. He didn’t answer. I wouldn’t have either. The poor thing looked terrified.

D arrived to save the day. We got his wooden sword and a cat carrier and managed to scoop the little man inside. I let the dogs in and D took the possum out back, where he was released back into the wilds of my backyard.

What’s funny is when D and I were running this morning, we saw one run across a side street near our house. When it saw two people and two beagles coming at him, he scurried up a tree. I think our little possum visitor told the neighborhood about us.

Category: Everyday

Comments

3 Responses to “His name was ‘Possum”

  1. Joel
    July 29th, 2005 @ 1:53 pm

    I wonder if this is the same guy that tried to crash the party on Saturday.

  2. David M
    July 29th, 2005 @ 1:58 pm

    I’m pretty sure it was the same guy. The one in the house was the same size as the one we saw at the party.

  3. Frankie
    July 29th, 2005 @ 2:16 pm

    You should give him a name. Maybe something like possum McStirs-a-lot.

Leave a Reply





  •  

    February 2012
    M T W T F S S
    « Dec    
     12345
    6789101112
    13141516171819
    20212223242526
    272829  

  • Tags

    365 days of 31 words 365 days of 31 words Amandapants animals Battlestar beagles birthdays bullshit cable cats celebration comics Contemplation David editing Everyday family Florida friends friendship gadgets haircuts Happiness holidaze hope Ikea job junting jobs link Links lists love memories mundane novel pain Photo photos root canal school social networking unemployment video whine writing

  • The Past

  • Meta