Requiem for Squirrel

Today the keeper went back to work and we stayed inside. It's hard to stay inside when you know that there are many exciting things going on and many lost opportunities. The blue jay did not return. However, we did hear the squeal of the squirrel as the car hit him on the street as he was trying to run with stolen fruit in its mouth. The car didn't see him and he may never have seen the car. But from our window we could see his little body lying still on the road. No one moved him. Kids walked over him, kicking him a little. But he lay there getting cold and stiff throughout the day. When the keeper came home, she listened to the president--of course, we had to listen too if we wanted to eat. We think he challenged people to grow up and grow together working on this huge issue. We are lucky because we have pet health care, but we are aware that we have better health care than many people in this country, and certainly way more than many millions across the world. We are just pets, but we sure wish people would think as kindly about each other and especially the most vulnerable, at least as much as they think about their pets. We are hoping that the adults will grow up and take of this. Anyway, I digress.



So, the keeper finally got us food, and then she went out with the shovel and we didn't go with her, because we knew what she was after. he invited us to come and help bury the squirrel in the shade garden, but I watched from a distance. When you are an animal, life is fragile, and it's hard to see other animals hurt. But she dug a grave, lined it with pine needles and leaves and placed the squirrel in it, and after covering it with the dirt, she put on layers of leaves, and a frame of pine cones, and finally, decorated it with apples because the squirrel had been carrying an apple when it got taken by death. It's a nice tribute. It's funny, there were no squirrels in the yard this afternoon and evening after the accident. Maybe they will visit the grave and have an apple. We will be watching.