Shannon Costello

Yes I did.  You knew when I caught you on the bird feeder the last time, but I was still watching when you thought I had gone away.  I scared you because you annoy me when you are up on my bird feeder.  My bird feeder is for the birds, thank you very much.  It is not for tree-rodents like you, even though you are kind of cute when you sit up on your hind legs with your little front hands unconsciously grasping for food.

Anyway, I saw you.  I did—stop trying to look like you don’t know what I’m talking about!  You thought I wasn’t looking.  I knew what you were about to do, and I planned to sneak out the front door and give you the scare of your little squirrelly life.  I’ll even tell you just what I saw.  You climbed a good fifteen feet up the tree, turned around, waggled your hindquarters a bit as you got set, took careful aim, and leaped at my bird feeder again.

Only this time you missed.  Oh, you hit the feeder all right, but only on your way to the ground below.  You thumped pretty hard.  And then you tried to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened.  You scrabbled after seeds on the ground as if that were all you ever intended to do.

And I laughed at you because you missed!  Enjoy those seeds on the ground, Mr. Squirrel.  At least you look pretty happy with what you have.  After all, I guess you have your problems just like me.  So I won’t make your life any harder just now.

Stay off my bird feeder, Mr. Squirrel.

And thanks for the laugh.