Today's Mostly True Short Story: Just a Squirrel

Words and photo by F LoBuono

It must have just happened. Someone's car had struck a squirrel. I had walked by that very spot on my way into town only a few minutes before and it wasn't there. I spotted it lying in the street on my way back to my apartment. At first, by the way the tail seemed to be moving, I thought that, perhaps, it was just stunned and had not been killed. I almost continued to walk by when I felt a bit guilty. What if it was not dead and just needed to removed from the street to recover? I decided to cross the street and investigate.

As I approached the downed animal it became obvious that it was, indeed, dead. It must have been the breeze that was moving its tail. I'll spare the details but let it suffice to say that it must have been killed instantly. It certainly did not suffer.

But, now, what to do?

Somehow, it just didn't seem right to me to just leave him to decay in the middle of the road. That always seems like such a waste to me. The animal has been lost and NO good can come from it. By decaying on the asphalt, it cannot be even "returned" to the earth. Truck drivers sarcastically call the rotting, crushed corpses road pizza. I suppose that if you've seen enough of it, like truckers do, the dark humor provides some relief from the reality of what it really represents.

I remembered that I had an empty plastic bag in my pocket. No self respecting owner of a very large dog (like I do) would be found without one! I placed my hand inside the bag and using it like a mitt, picked up the squirrel. It was still supple and warm. It had, indeed, just met his end. I sadness descended over me. It was obviously a healthy animal. But, it had met his fate. There was nothing more that I could do but take him out of the street. I noticed a tree nearby. There was another squirrel in that tree, watching my every move. Could they have been mates? I could not know. But, from the way it was watching my every move, it was entirely feasible.

I carried the squirrel to the base of the tree and gently laid him down there. The other squirrel who had been watching me moved further up the tree but did not leave! I called out to it:

Sorry that you lost your friend. I wish that I could do more. But, at least I have returned him to you. I have to move on now.

It wasn't so hard to do. Sure, I felt bad for of the loss of a healthy animal. But, I also experienced satisfaction in knowing that I had done the right thing. Life must be respected . ALL life - even Just a Squirrel's.

Epilogue - This is one of the times I think we have more in common that we have differences.

When we moved here a couple of years ago, on an Easter Sunday, I was working in the yard. Behind our property is a field with a big oak. A raven landed in a squirrel nest, ripped it apart and tossed two babies to the ground at east 20 feet below. They hit the ground like a rock.
He landed, pecked them both once and left. I imagine he would come back later to finish them.
I stood there listening to them scream for help. None came so I got gloves on and put them on the tree trunk in hopes they would climb back up. They fell. No adults came to help.
How could I just stand there while the cried out for help?

Got a havahart trap, put them in it and looked up how to care for orphaned squirrels. Got fluid in them but knew they'd be dead by morning.
We got in contact with a wildlife rehab person in Greenwood lake and met her around Washingtonville.
We have nothing but raptor rehabs here in PA.
I gave the woman the squirrels and $20 for supplies as I know she does this out of pocket.
We contacted her a few weeks later and the babies were big enough and well enough to be released.

A few days later I saw two adults searching the tree frantically. The finally stopped and huddled up next to each other in the crotch of the tree.
I told them what happened. That their babies were ok and they left shortly afterward.
Sometimes you can't help and sometimes you can.
I applaud you for giving this animal some dignity rather than leave it in the street like trash.
Still, the real hero here is that woman who postponed her family's Easter dinner to come rescue those babies.
Be well.

Richie Himes