Ode to Squirrels

Nicolette and I were chatting the other day, when I realized 2 things. 1. We share a similar interest in childhood movies. Unico (Helene is with me on this one, I know), The Last Unicorn, Shelly Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre, and The Wild Swans to name a few. Then I told her about my favorite movie, Enchanted Journey. I am a proud DVD owner of this little known Japanese anime movie. After years of trying halfheartedly to find it, last year I resolved to and after much hunting, I did. It is the story of a lone squirrel who escapes the busy city life in search of other squirrel friends. This led our conversation to more stories about squirrels and I realized then the depths of my love for the critters. Thus, this entry is my official Ode to Squirrels. Here are some squirrel tails, in -of course- random order. (Some are chipmunk tails, but for consistency I'll just say squirrel.)

I used to have a Ravensburg game where the point was for your little squirrel to fill his wheelbarrow with acorns and deposit them back at his house before another squirrel could steal them. I loved this game.

A few years ago, my parents and I were viewing slides from a Colorado camping trip that took place when I was really little (4?) I wanted to know why so many photos were wasted on this piece of bread on the ground. My dad told me I'd put it there to feed a squirrel and made him take pictures. Sure enough, the next pictures showed a squirrel eating the bread. Since then, I've loved taking a gondola to a peak in Estes Park where they feed the squirrels year round. After I'd run out of peanuts, I lured a squirrel into my paper bag and told my mom I had a pet. But I knew I couldn't really keep it so I let it go right away. On another camping trip, my friend Carrie and I discovered that squirrels love Corn nuts! I actually let them eat out of my hand. They'd put their front paws on it and let me pet them while feasting. It's no wonder that one of the few stuffed animals I've kept is a squirrel. The last time I went camping, I played hide and go seek with a squirrel. It hid behind a boulder when I came close and when I backed away it would peek its little head out. After some time, I wondered who was more amused, me or the squirrel, and decided we'd had enough.

Last year I was in midtown with some friends when all of a sudden the TV showed a squirrel in a small circular pool jetskiing. You can imagine how amused I was! I showed Rebecca, who was tickled as well. This was my first experience with Twiggy, a squirrel that was befriended by a couple when injured, nursed to health, and taught a hobby they enjoyed. Since then, I've decided I want a pet squirrel like Twiggy! The closest I've come is the chinchilla I had, Gandalf the Grey.

More recently, during one of my let's research something cool for fun spats (I lead a scintillating life, I know), I dug up info on, obviously, squirrels. I found a cool website that maintains the quality of a university is reflected by the quality of the squirrel population on campus. I was pleased to see Rice with many squirrel points, as well as Williams College in Massachusetts. I'll have to check on Princeton, New Jersey, but I have high hopes. Once at Rice, a squirrel reportedly ate my OWeek advisor's donut from a tree. Another squirrel bit my friend Ricardo on the finger (but he is a crazy Austrian, so this is funny), and yet another is purported to have fallen from a tree, landed on a friend of a friend's head, and then scampered off.

I love the words scamper and frolick. They're very squirrely. And finally, I think there is a bit of squirrel in me. I've been told I cuddle up much like a little animal and burrow. I also have been known to indulge in snacks consisting of nuts and dried fruits. I am excitable, sometimes scurry, and am easily amused. I once watched a squirrel try to peel a grape at Rice, having quite a good time. So there you are; my animagus, kindred spirit, animal counterpart.