Waking Up the Opossums

 

Waking Up the Opossums

Noel Laflin

5-11-22

While watering the garden this afternoon a baby opossum crawled out from beneath a broad shady shrub.  It was black and white and cute as a bug’s butt. I remember a friend using that description once, in regard to something long forgotten, but I have always found it endearing. I don’t get to use it often, so am happy to say it now, as it definitely applied to this little guy – kitten like it was, only with a pointy snout and a naked tail.

I am guessing that the watering must have gotten to it and woke him or her up from a peaceful nap.  I could see droplets glistening off its soft pelt.

Long ago I recall spraying water up into the acacia tree, just feet from where I was today, in order to knock down some dead leaves.  Leaves soon dropped, as did a large opossum who was apparently sleeping (being nocturnal critters and all), hanging by its tail from a secure branch until the water woke it up, lost its grip, tail unraveling from the branch, and came crashing down at my feet.  It was unhurt, other than feelings, shook itself off and scrambled back up the tree.

Today’s mini version, once awake, and gratefully not hanging from a branch way up high, blinked at the bright sunlight and soon ambled off taking refuge beneath blocks lined up against the back fence.

It’s good to see baby opossums here again, as it has been awhile.  Heck, there was a time, years ago, when adults and kids roamed freely in our small garden, the kids often hanging off of mama’s back. There would be upwards of half a dozen of them clinging to her. If the back screen door was open, they would sometimes just walk right in to the bedroom, following one of the cats.  In fact, our old tomcat Zane never bothered them, and vise versa; frequently he and opossums would sit side by side crunching away on Friskies cat food. I could hear it clearly on warm summer nights when the sliding glass door was wide open to let in the coolness of the evening.

I suppose with the passing of old Zane long ago, and there being no more free food to be had, the opossums moved on.

But it appears they are back, and with that happy knowledge I might just have to amble on over myself to the pet food aisle at Albertsons and pick up some Friskies later on tonight.