Trust issues
My 15 minute jaunt to work allows time for contemplation, consideration... and observation. Recently I've noticed an increase in the local squirrel population. At any given time one can see no less than 5 squirrels of varying colour and size scampering around in pursuit of love and nuts. For those of you in other parts of the world I assure you that squirrels are rather abundant in Canada and don't invoke the yell-and-point reaction enjoyed by our friends in, say... England. It's this familiarity that allows us humans to stroll casually through their mini missions without so much as a glance. The indifference however, is one sided. A squirrel caught mid stride by a passing person will quickly freeze in fear - ears turning in a mad scan, nose twitching with sniff - before fleeing full force up the closest trunk. This leaves me wondering what we have done as a species, to be the subject of such suspicion. How have we wronged these puffy tailed rats? Aside from the occasional and unintentional tire tread tattoo, I think it's safe to say we're pretty civil. So why should my daily journey to work and back make me feel like a tyrant, a nonchalant Godzilla casually strolling through Japan. Furry blurs of brown, black and red fleeing at my approach. And for what? Don't you dare side with the squirrels claiming they simply don't remember that we're friendly! We're talking about an animal that remembers the exact location of 134 buried nuts a couple of seasons after they were stowed. Have you ever walked into a store and been stared at because the clerk was convinced you were there to steal? You begin to have slight feelings of guilt even though you had no such intention? At least the clerk's suspicion is based on past occurrences of theft in his store. I find it hard to believe that human beings have a track record of chasing down and stepping on squirrels, yet the barrier remains. It seems we are forever doomed to live in separate worlds within the same neighbourhood.
Noises in my walls and ceilings lead me to believe that a few furry fellows have chosen to share my shelter. I welcome them into my home in hopes that we can set an example for more positive Squirrel - Human relations and that one day they might even forgive us for whatever it is they're convinced we have done.