I came across this email that Brian wrote me on 4/10/2006. What crazy memories we have from our old little 1st house on Maria St. Enjoy!
So here’s the recap.
Round one – I got home at 11-ish am to catch the squirrel. I cut the same hole that I cut last time, donned my gloves and readied the carrying cage. When I reached in to grab the little guy he runs up my glove, up my arm and scurries halfway up the wall where he clings and hides for probably 30 minutes. Winner = squirrel
Round two – Eventually he falls and we’re on for round two. This time I miss completely and he just runs up the wall and hangs out about halfway for yet another 30 – 45 minutes. So I wait and he falls… Winner = squirrel
Round Three – This time it’s a complete and total repeat of round one I grab him, he squirms free and uses my arm as leverage to scurry halfway up the wall where he will sit for another 15-30 minutes mocking me. Winner = squirrel
Round Four – He falls and this time I’ve got him. He squirms but can’t get free… so he fights dirty and starts to bite my finger. He never breaks skin but he succeeds in pissing me off even more, but I maintained my composure and quickly put him into the carrying cage. Winner = me
Round Five – The squirrel is in the cage and I’m closing the door to seal the deal when it happens. This little rat pulls some Shao Lin Matrix move and leaps out just as the door slams shut. In disbelief I look into the cage and its empty… I look to my right and I see a squirrel tail round the corner of the bed. The squirrel had gone rogue. Winner = squirrel
Round Six – I chase the squirrel around the room and try to grab him. No dice. I set the cage down and tried to coax him into it (which I did by the way, three times acually… he just jumped out before I could close the door.) We go round and round the room when it happens… The squirrel disappears. The room is eerily silent. This is not good. Winner = squirrel
Round Seven – Now I’m frantic and I start to rip the room apart: Lifting mattresses… Removing sheets… Checking the box springs… Nothing. I check the closet – nothing. I even let the dogs in… I figured they could track it down. I even picked Lily up and set her in the closet so she could smell around. No dice. Neither dog came through. I was at a loss. Winner = squirrel
Round Eight – So I kick the dogs out and start to backtrack. I circle back to the closet and start rattling clothes, shaking boxes, searching about with the flash lights – Nothing. So I kick your ENORMOUS pile of shoes and I hear a “squeek”. Unbelievable. I start throwing shoes out of the closet like a kid shoveling sand. I’ve got nothing. I keep going until we’re down to the bottom. I grab a shoe and (I’m so serious about this next part) the squirrel leaps out toward me and runs across the room. I scream in shock… probably like a little girl. Winner = squirrel
Round Nine – Instead of focusing on the squirrel immediately, I quickly shove all of your blasted shoes back into the closet and force the door shut. Now the closet is sealed off, the bedroom door is closed, and both dogs are freaking out on the other side of the door… it is on. I chase the squirrel around again. He’s quick but he’s tired… and I have an opposable thumb which should make me smarter. I got him cornered behind the small cabinet. He was utterly confused because I was able to basically be on all sides of this small piece of furniture, leaving him nowhere to run. I set up the cage on the right, hover over the center, and make a move from the left… The squirrel breaks right… he’s heading toward the cage, but he circles back. I’m still there so he circles again. He’s got nowhere to go. He tries to jump past me on the right, so I sidestep with him to block. He freaks and heads back… I pull the same move… this time he runs back into the cage. I slam it shut. Game over. Winner = me w. the knockout
Currently the squirrel is in the cage. I figured that he could sit there and think about what he’s done for a bit while I clean up the mess. Tonight he will take up residence somewhere near Shelby Farms…
Hopefully this will be the final chapter in the Attic Saga:
The first squirrel was taken out by Lily.
Number two bit it crossing the street.
Number three and
four fell into the same part of the wall, where they were later rescued/captured and escorted to Shelby Farms.
Hopefully there is no number five… but if there is… I’ll be ready.
B
