SQUIRREL INTERVENTION

Warm weather was here and I was finally enjoying my back deck again. The sun was out and there was a gentle breeze. I was busy admiring the tiny buds on the trees when my son Alex came out to join me. We weren't really saying much to each other just watching the birds at the feeder and feeling the sun on our faces.

It wasn't long before I noticed a plump gray squirrel scamper across the deck. He was only a few feet away from us with an acorn in his mouth.

“I guess he found one of the nuts he buried last fall.” I said. Seconds later he climbed up on my newly planted myrtle container and began digging. “HEY! GET OUT OF THERE!” I cried.

Alex looked over at me. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to stop that squirrel from digging up my whole planter!” I cried. I was now waving my arms at him. “What does it look like I'm doing?”

To my credit the squirrel stopped digging and was now perched on the edge of the container, looking at me with the nut still in his mouth.

“Don't you know it's spring!” I yelled at him. “There's no more burying nuts! Take that back to your nest and eat it!”

“You're talking to a squirrel.” Alex said quietly as he looked at our neighbors yard, checking to see if anyone else was out and could hear me.

“I know I am.” I was still waving my arms. “I was wondering who was digging up my plants. Now that I found him it's time to talk so sense into him.” I stopped waving my arms and sat forward in my chair, trying to make direct eye contact with my nemesis. “It's not winter anymore.” I told him. “You don't have to bury any more nuts. Can't you feel the warm air? Don't you see the buds on the trees? That means it's spring. Burying nuts now is not going to help you next winter.” By now the squirrel had dropped it's nut on the deck and was just staring at me. I looked over at Alex. “I think he's starting to understand.” I said to him.

“Are you serious?” Alex sounded concerned. “It's a squirrel, he can't understand you.”

“He can't or he won't.” I said. We both watched as the squirrel slowly climbed off the planter, picked up the nut and scurried back into the woods. “Good decision.” I called after him.

I looked over at Alex who was just staring at me.

“I think we've come to an understanding.” I said as I once again sat back in my chair and continued to enjoy the sun on my face. “I'm pretty sure he won't be digging in my plants anymore.”

“If you're serious that you think you've explained something to a squirrel you're scaring me.” Alex said.

“Scaring you or making you laugh?” I asked.

“Depends or if you're serious or not.” he asked.

I closed my eyes as I tipped my face toward the sun. “Why don't we just wait and see if he comes back before I answer that.”