Nature Notes: The Idiot

So, it’s after work and I’m walking to the train, when, of all things! a squirrel crosses my path. I haven’t seen a squirrel in the downtown area in quite some time, so yeah, I was surprised. But then again, I once saw a skunk running down the street there, late at night, so I’m not sure why I was surprised…

As I continue walking between the wall of the public library and the large concrete planters, the squirrel jumps up onto the planters and paces me, maybe just a bit ahead, but not far.

There’s none of the usual nervousness, like the squirrels in my own yard, and I realize that this is, for all intents and purposes, a “park” squirrel. And just like the homeless men and women who hang around this area, he’s hoping for a handout.

I pause and chat with the security guard, Billy, as I’ve always done for the last dozen years or so, and he tells me that, yeah, this squirrel shows up from time to time and folks sitting on the walls of the planters (homeless and religious pamphleteers alike), sometimes offer it bits of food. The squirrel has learned that if someone reaches out their hand with the fingers pinched together, there is food being offered and it will take it right out of their hand.

Right about now, a man walks up a few feet away, sees the squirrel and decides that this would be a fun game. He reaches out his hand with his fingers pinched together, and makes chucking sounds. I shout at the man: “Don’t do that! Don’t tease the squirrel! He’ll bite you!” But the man laughs at me, laughs at the squirrel. The squirrel races up to him, sniffs his fingers, and discovers, that, Hey! there’s no food here!. The man laughs at the squirrel, continuing to extend his hand.

And the squirrel bites him. Not hard. Not hard enough to break the skin, but hard enough to illustrate the point.

The man, quite predictably shocked in his stupidity, shouts, “Hey! He bit me! It hurts!” “Are you bleeding?” “No, but it hurts!” “Moron.” And I rush off to catch my train.

If by some chance I ever hear that the man decides to sue the City, I will be a witness for the squirrel.

Michelle at Rambling Woods is hosting Nature Notes, a weekly meme dedicated to challenging us to take a moment out of our hectic lives and notice the seasonal changes – large and small – taking place in nature all around each of us, in our own little corners of the world. Please visit Michelle and all the other participants, and maybe take some of your own Nature Notes!