The almost naked husband vs. the Baby Possum !
This story about the Baby Possum begins a couple of weeks ago. Then we discovered a huge problem in the guest bathroom (see the post called Denial). We had to move lots of our things onto the back porch. This included cooking out there too. Therefore there was food garbage in the waste basket. Get the picture.
The porch is screened in but clearly not impervious to intrusions by critters. On occasion we have had birds, and squirrels manage to get in and need assistance getting out.
This brings the story to last evening after I had gone to bed. I hear my wife calling my name with distress in her voice. So I reluctantly but quickly leave the bed to rush to the living area.
“There’s something in the waste basket,” she exclaimed; pointing to the back porch.
Said basket is up high to be out of reach of our German Shepherd. In the afore mentioned cramped space Brenda had sat in a rocking chair in front of the basket. She was startled by rustling behind her.
As I walked towards it to have a look I noticed the screen door propped open. “What’s this?” I asked. “I was hoping it would leave,” she replied.
I looked in and it had indeed left.
Guessing the problem to be food remnants in the garbage bag I retrieved it and brought it into the house. We then tried to do a better job covering a hole we have in the floor near the wall were there is a faucet and a hose. We hoped that would take care of the problem.
I’m an early riser and spent an hour or more on the porch in the morning with no events. However, as I was brushing my teeth I heard my wife calling again! “There’s something out here!”
This time dressed only in my underwear, I rush out again. “It’s in the wastebasket!”
I peek in and sure enough there in the bottom of the empty basket is a juvenile possum! The basket is a tall one and too tall for this little fellow to climb out. So I pick up the basket and turn to go out the door.
But wait! There is our 14 month old 80 lb. German Shepherd totally excited to be a part of this adventure! After several attempts to get him in and me out we succeed to keep them separate.
Barefoot and barely dressed I carry the basket with the possum to the edge of the yard and drop him out over the fence. There he hurried off looking for safety.