Wayward Opossum

After getting back from a baseball game and admiring the Supermoon last night, I wanted to put the battery back in Tiffany’s scooter.  I had been charging it.  I went down to the garage and Tiffany went to the backyard with the dogs.  As I was re-attaching the battery, Tiffany suddenly burst in the garage and said, “I need you out here right now!”  I put my screwdriver (the tool not the drink) down and ran outside.  Tiffany was running around in small circles, waving her arms around and yelling.  She reminded me of a frantic Scarlet O’Hara trying to get things in order before a visit from Ashley Wilkes.  I also heard two of the dogs, Celie and Harpo, barking like crazy.  Suddenly I saw what was causing all the chaos…a baby opossum.  The poor opossum was balancing on the railing of our patio.  Any misstep on its part would send it falling down to the two blood-thirsty dogs below the railing.  The opossum kept walking back and forth and teetering on the edge of destruction.  It was moving like a drunken tightrope walker.  Something had to happen or this was not going to end well.  Quick on my feet, I grabbed a towel that was left outside from a pool party we had on Friday and threw it at the dogs.  Celie and Harpo act tough, but they were actually quite scared of the baby opossum.  When the towel landed next to them they both recoiled in terror.  This gave the opossum enough time to complete the circle around the railing that would put it on the other side of the backyard fence.  It was like the opossum and I had one brain at that time.  This caused Tiffany to simmer down and stop running in circles.  The dogs looked confused.  I’m very thankful they were completely unorganized in their hunting.  If they had any sense, they would have separated and one would have gone to the porch and the other below the porch and caught the opossum.  Their strategy was basically completely stupid…thank the maker.  The opossum then just stood there on the railing.  It must have been completely terrified.  I gave it a little time to chill and then took its picture.  It was really cute.  Tiffany sensed that I was already getting attached and said, “YOU CAN’T HAVE IT!”  Before I let the dogs out this morning, I checked to make sure the opossum was gone.  Celie ran right to the spot of the misguided attack…she was hoping to close the deal this time.  I have a feeling we’ll see the opossum (I’m going to call him Hawthorne) again. 

I can't help but think of this woman when I think of or see (as the case was last night)  an opossum.