1:06pm May 20, 2012

I wish I’d had a video camera back then.

My dad and I were sitting in the backyard next to our house. There were a bunch of redwood branches that were about a foot away from the roof.

A mother squirrel and her baby came up to the gap. She began showing hir how to jump across the gap. She started slowly. Jumping back and forth to give hir the idea. Then she began nudging hir forward with her nose. But the baby squirrel wouldn’t budge. The mother kept at it but no matter what she tried, the baby refused to jump.

Then the mother squirrel got this unmistakable look on her face. A look of exasperation and impatience and irritation that probably looks the same on every mammal parent everywhere. Possibly other kinds of animals as well.

And then she grabbed the baby by the scruff of the neck.

And threw hir over the gap onto the roof.

Then they stopped for a short break before scampering off.

My dad and I laughed our asses off. That just said volumes about parents (and kids) everywhere. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

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