The University of Texas at Austin campus has almost as many squirrels as it has students, and most of them are pretty forward little critters (I studied for an Astronomy test sharing my animal crackers with a squirrel one morning. It was nice). This last week, walking around the University of North Texas campus, I've encountered this same breed of college-campus squirrels - none have asked me for food yet, but I did have a short exchange with one this morning. Had I had any crumbs to share, I would have. Since I didn't, he lost interest quickly.
All this squirrelous activity has me doing the what-ifs. There's a story here, but I haven't figured out what it is yet. (The Secret of NIMH came to mind this morning, and I think I'm liking where I'm thinking of going with that...)
It also has me thinking of Buffman. I remember when he graduated UT; there was a mournful air about his loyal Daily Texan readers. I cannot look at any squirrel (campus-breed or other varieties) without thinking of Buffman. I tried Googling him after graduation, but didn't find him. Alas, writing this post, I tried again, and found him! I'll have to actually read the website (instead of just linking it) later, when I'm not about to start class.
If you have any squirrel story ideas, let me know. There's a story brewing, but it's brewing slowly... I'll keep you updated.
In California, particularly around the Stanford campus in Palo Alto, they have these black squirrels that I haven't seen anywhere else. Rumor has it they're the result of some lab experiment gone awry... ; ) (perhaps that's another story idea...?)
ReplyDeleteSquirrels are rare here in Europe, so people tend to go crazy over them (kinda like our fascination for marsupials). Then there's my biology-teacher friend who calls them "rats with good PR."
Oh, Zach was once feeding some apple pieces to a squirrel at UT. Then he ran out of apple, and the squirrel bit his toe. It's unclear whether the squirrel was trying to be spiteful, or just thought his toe was another piece of apple...