That Which Has Gone Before
Wild Kingdom
Another "You Need A Weblog" Story
A few months ago, at the beginning of summer, Katy noticed that much of her newly-planted garden was being decimated by rabbits. Rabbits quickly became Enemy Number One, and were chased out of the yard with a fervor that would have done Mr. MacGregor proud. They were coming through our back fence, which is mostly wrought iron, and so we decided to put up some chicken wire (rabbit wire?) to keep them out. Katy stopped by the hardware store and picked some up, and I was all ready to install it that weekend.
That Saturday, Katy was out doing some gardening, focusing on cleaning out one densely-packed corner of greenery. What should she discover underneath the day lilies but a shallow rabbit's nest, complete with a little baby bunny - still alive, but with ants crawling all over it. Of course, I knew that bunnies were Enemy Number One and asked "Do you want I should take care of that for you?"
I did not realize that the road to Damascus ran through my yard, but somewhere, somehow, Katy experienced a change of heart that day. The next thing I know, she's cuddling the rabbit in her (rubber-gloved) hands, brushing the bugs off of it, and telling me to mix her up some sugar water so she can try to feed it from a medicine dropper.
Really?
Since I like being married, I did not question this sudden sea change (at least not out loud) and prepared the requested concoction. The rabbit did not seem to like it when Katy tried to "feed" it, and most of the mixture came out it's nose. I eventually convinced Katy that there wasn't much she could do, and that she should put it back in the nest where she found it - that way the Bunny Parents could come take care of Junior if he was indeed going to make it. Reluctantly she agreed, all the while saying it didn't have much of a chance.
The next day I went out to check on the nest, and lo and behold, the little rabbit was gone! I searched the underbrush all through our flowerbeds and it was not to be found. I stuck my head in the house and mentioned this to Katy, who was just as disbelieving as I was. Anyway, thinking that the little guy had gotten away, I went around to the back side of the fence to install the previously mentioned rabbit wire.
As I unrolled the wire I was startled by a rustling sound a few feet away. I looked up and saw a fairly large red racer snake coming out of my back yard - with a familiar-sized bulge about halfway down.