[Dailydrool] The Varmint

[Beverly Szaton]

Because of the dire winter weather predictions for our area my varmint watch
has kind of sharpened. I have noted the mice around the foundation of the
house already, and have been aware of the proximity of raccoons and skunks
and other critters in the yard or nearby. Friends who live nearer the Forest
Preserve have reported many deer (if the winter is as bad as they are saying
it is going to be, the massive numbers of deer--herds unculled for ten years
or more, are going to have an extremely hard time.) The people nearest the
woods are reporting activity with foxes and coyotes and of course, even here
the squirrels are intense and frantic. The BEWS (Basset Early Warning
SYstem) whereby they blow coat a bit early and with great enthusiasm worried
me at the time. I sense a tension in the natural world., or it may be lack
of sleep....
HOWEVER.
This morning, the very first thing, there was a sudden flurry of activity in
the living room. All the bassets gathered around Conley, the head VArmint
finder. Nigel is my squirrel king (Take that anyway you want) but Conley
finds the real ones, as proven by the still faint scent of skunk on his head
and ears....Barking ensued. Dancing the hunter dance-- in and back, in and
back, feinting at the enemy. There was a real ruckus.
So thinking mouse, or maybe even RAT, who knows, even tho I have only ever
seen one in town (not counting the Village board) a wayward snake? a lost
toad? I hustled into the room prying dogs away from the varmint and as I
cleared a path was horrified to
see--------------------------------------------------
A CRICKET!!!
A dangerous, fanged, probably highly poisonous, CRICKET! Already missing one
leg he franticlly hopped at the dogs, barring his teeth I guess since I am
not sure they have them, and being very dangerous looking.
Ok. The fact is, the cricket was just a cricket with only 5 legs left and
totally harmless.
Amidst the screaming KILL IT KILL IT KILL IT chant of the Bassets, I carried
the cricket outside and deposited him in the front bushes, where he will
probably be eaten by something bigger, but not a Basset, thus fulfilling
it's rightful place in the food chain.

I gave everyone biscuits and told them they were very brave.
They all strutted off, bumping shoulders and grinning. What would I do
without them?

MomPerson to Nigel, Llewis And Conley.

(Cooper, being familiar with crickets, was on my bed rolling his eyes.)
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