We were taking things out to her minivan and the curb when we came upon the corpse of a freshly deceased and very much intact chipmunk lying about three feet from the curb in front of my house. The chipmunk was splayed out on it's fluffy stomach and all it's adorable limbs were spread out around it in an almost comical, but still very poignantly sad fashion.
About an inch away from it's tiny outstretched right paw was a peanut, still in it's shell.
The many possible death scenarios are all perfect for an after school chipmunk special extolling the dangers of abusing nuts and running in the busy streets amuck.
My momma and I argued about what we were going to do with the sweet 'munk for a few minutes before getting busy with our current tasks and promptly forgetting all about our deceased rodent friend.
Later that day I looked out the window to see if the bus was coming around the corner (it passes our block to go around to the next street down first, giving me time to run out and watch the two older girls walk home from the bus stop) and I noticed that the chipmunk was no longer on the street. I walked out to investigate and couldn't find a trace of it or the nut anywhere. Figuring someone must have cleaned it up, I went on about my business again.
About an hour after this I looked out again to spy a small squirrel sitting on the curb, directly in front of where the dead chipmunk had been lying.
It was just sitting there, staring out into the road.
I immediately began to have thoughts of the two rodents being friends in life, perhaps an inter-species couple...maybe even a sad Romeo and Juliet type scenario with the chipmunk taking it's own life out of frustration for not being allowed to love his dear squirrel companion. Or even better yet! A angry jealous squirrel lothario had murdered the chipmunk in broad daylight in a fit of rage!
Ahhh, young rodent love. (You're probably doubting me and my reference to chipmunks and squirrels as rodents. Yes, I looked up to make sure that squirrels and chipmunks are in fact, part of the rodent family. You learn something new every day.)
Weirder still, the next day another squirrel (or perhaps the same one!) was sitting on the curb again. Same spot.
I am now certain that this is the place where they meet their nut-dealer for illegal nut transactions. Something must have gone terribly wrong for our dead chip, he may have even gotten greedy or messed with the wrong nut-thug
Go ahead, look up rodent nut abuse. It's prevalent in suburban areas like ours. Horrible stuff, really.
I googled 'chipmunks doing drugs' to get this photo. Yes. I. Did.
7 comments:
pics or it didn't happen! :) awww, dead chipmunks are so cute.
Wow, the things that go on in your own neighborhood, huh?
Was the squirrel on the curb kinda chubby?... because it might have been there for a different reason, and not just to say 'good-bye' to a pal.
Squirrels do eat meat.
==:-O
Jeez. Theodore looks a little gaunt.
No pics please. It happened, I believe you.
I prefer the Romeo and Juliet rodent scenerio. I'm a sucker for a sad squirrel story.
Ha! I make scenarios up in my head too.
I don't know what comment would be more appropriate here: the story about the glorious day I found a whole baggie of weed on the sidewalk downtown (it was good too!) or the one about my childhood neighbor who would play with the roadkill in the street and dug up our puppy when it died.
Its a tie
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