One Year Later

One warm summer day last July, Daughter and I were having coffee. Our dogs played happily together in my backyard.

Being the very aware type of person that she is, she immediately noticed a change in the barking of her dog. We went to investigate. My old little Westie came walking in the door, but Max wouldn't come for anything. That's because he HAD something.

As Daughter approached, it became obvious that what he had was alive. Upon further investigation, she called back to me that it was a baby 'possum.

She threw two of her Youngest brother's shoes at Max, and also a tennis racket. Finally, he dropped the 'possum, but it was no longer moving.

She dragged her large and proud puppy into the house, and then went back to check on the 'baby'. Once she called it THAT, I knew it was going to be a LONG day.

Daughter has the ability to snap to action when action is required. Unlike me, who has the ability to stare into space wondering 'why me'?

She called Son-in-law who told her to finished it off by whacking it on the head with a shovel. That abruptly ended that conversation.

She called out directives to me, and I tried to respond as quickly as possible. Daughter carefully picked it up in an old towel, and placed it carefully in a laundry basket on our front porch. We called a nature center that we used to frequent, and they were not able to take it. But, they gave us a number of a woman in the city who takes wild animals. She wasn't able to have us drop it off until 5:30. Daughter wasn't speaking to her puppy at this time, and devoted the better part of the day checking her 'baby' for signs of life. She gave it water and kept it covered, even counting it's breaths.

When the time came, Daughter and I drove through the city during rush hour. All I could think was "I'm riding in a car with a baby 'possum!"

Somewhere, in the center of the city, lives a man and a woman who have devoted their lifes to rehabilitating wild animals. As we approached their yard, we were met by a menagerie of animals. Geese and ducks in various stages of healing, pygmy goats and other furry things.

The woman took us into her kitchen, lifted the 'possum out of it's wraps and set it on her kitchen table. Small cages were everywhere. She placed Daughter's 'possum into one of these cages, and Daughter filled out some paper work, left a donation and said her goodbyes.

We will never know what happened to the baby 'possum. But last night on the local Fox News at 10, this woman and her husband were featured. They showed boxes of baby geese, tiny ducklings and a box full of baby 'possums that they are presently caring for.

I wish them well.

If you knew about my prior experiences with 'possums, you would KNOW what a stretch it was for me to be a part of the rescue of one.

My Daughter will make a fabulous mother. Oh...and Son-in-law will make a great dad too, even though he suggested that she whack the 'possum.