Squirrel Daze

We Don’t Always Know What Will Have Meaning

On my way to work, I happen to drive by one of Little Bean’s friends sitting on the curb next to a dead squirrel.

I roll down my window. “Buddy, you ok?”

He looks up at me. He’s not crying but he’s definitely having a hard time processing.

“Can we take him to a vet or something, shouldn’t we do that?”

“He gone man, it’s too late for him.”

“But he’s still moving.” The squirrel’s tail is twitching.

I pull over and walk over to him.

“It’s just reflexes, man,” I say. “I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do for him.”

We both look at the twitching squirrel for a moment. I text my wife to see if Little Bean is home. She is.

“Listen, why don’t I give you a ride over to our place and you can hang out with my daughter for a bit.”

He nods and I pile him into the car and drop him off at my house. Little Bean runs out to greet him and I head to work.

I find out later that a group of the kids went over and dragged the squirrel off the street and gave him a more proper resting place near a clump of bushes and trees.

Not sure what the moral is here. I suppose there doesn’t always have to be one.

Maybe just that you never know what will hit you or when. Big or little. We process differently, even kids. Life doesn’t make exceptions.

A bunch of kids doing the best they can. That’s it, that’s today. Be aware. Stay calm. See you tomorrow.