December 15, 2008

Huntin'



I walked up to the rain barrel and noticed that the screen had slid off the top. I bent over to dip the watering can into the rainwater, but a silver sheen caught my eye. I let my eyes adjust to the darkness, then reached down and lifted it out by its tail.

It was a squirrel, its body stiff in a running pose. It stared blankly with clear black eyes. Its whiskers pointed stiffly, like the ends of a handlebar moustache. Its mouth was slightly parted, showing two pair of teeth, tiny and sharp.


When I was a girl, my father went huntin' in the autumn. He left the house early in the morning, wearing a flannel shirt and a hat with flaps and a bill. Later in the day, he stomped on the porch. We stared out the back window at four squirrels piled stiffly on the milkbox. I recall eyes, round and dark, with a trickle of dried blood near the mouth.

My mother made stew but none of the children would eat it, appetites ruined by the memory of the hapless creatures on the milkbox. My father went huntin' a few more times, but gave up eventually.



I dug a hole in our pet cemetery, near the resting places of our pet rodents. Guinea pigs, hamsters and an Egyptian spiney mouse were the ones I remember-- Brownie, Petunia, Pepsi and the others, and now a nameless squirrel.




7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wha? You didn't like the squirrel stew?

December 16, 2008 at 6:39 PM  
Blogger Marilyn said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

December 17, 2008 at 8:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Meg, I've told you before, I love the way you write. A poignant story about the death of an animal.

December 21, 2008 at 4:41 AM  
Blogger oakleyses said...

michael kors outlet, louboutin shoes, louis vuitton outlet, oakley sunglasses, longchamp outlet, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, tiffany and co, prada handbags, oakley sunglasses cheap, kate spade outlet, oakley sunglasses, coach outlet store online, polo ralph lauren, michael kors outlet online sale, michael kors outlet, louboutin, michael kors outlet, longchamp handbags, nike shoes, coach factory outlet, air max, longchamp handbags, kate spade handbags, louis vuitton outlet, louis vuitton outlet stores, polo ralph lauren outlet, air max, prada outlet, coach purses, burberry outlet, nike free, jordan shoes, michael kors outlet, gucci outlet, chanel handbags, louboutin outlet, burberry outlet, tory burch outlet, true religion jeans, ray ban sunglasses, christian louboutin, coach outlet, louis vuitton handbags, michael kors outlet, tiffany and co, true religion jeans

December 30, 2014 at 10:38 AM  
Blogger oakleyses said...

louis vuitton uk, air max pas cher, timberland, polo lacoste, hogan outlet, air max, longchamp, polo ralph lauren, michael kors, hollister, north face, barbour, air jordan, sac louis vuitton, true religion outlet, nike free, lululemon outlet online, nike blazer, nike roshe run, nike tn, nike free pas cher, louboutin, air force, michael kors, sac louis vuitton, vanessa bruno, ray ban sunglasses, ralph lauren, nike roshe, hollister, true religion outlet, converse pas cher, sac burberry, north face, longchamp, sac hermes, mulberry, oakley pas cher, hollister, new balance pas cher, air max, sac guess, nike huarache, vans pas cher, abercrombie and fitch, sac longchamp, ray ban pas cher, louis vuitton, nike trainers, michael kors pas cher, nike air max

December 30, 2014 at 10:42 AM  
Blogger oakleyses said...

louis vuitton uk, air max pas cher, timberland, polo lacoste, hogan outlet, air max, longchamp, polo ralph lauren, michael kors, hollister, north face, barbour, air jordan, sac louis vuitton, true religion outlet, nike free, lululemon outlet online, nike blazer, nike roshe run, nike tn, nike free pas cher, louboutin, air force, michael kors, sac louis vuitton, vanessa bruno, ray ban sunglasses, ralph lauren, nike roshe, hollister, true religion outlet, converse pas cher, sac burberry, north face, longchamp, sac hermes, mulberry, oakley pas cher, hollister, new balance pas cher, air max, sac guess, nike huarache, vans pas cher, abercrombie and fitch, sac longchamp, ray ban pas cher, louis vuitton, nike trainers, michael kors pas cher, nike air max

December 30, 2014 at 10:42 AM  
Blogger oakleyses said...

nike roshe run, birkin bag, ugg, reebok outlet, uggs, lululemon outlet, canada goose, new balance shoes, p90x, ugg australia, mcm handbags, canada goose outlet, herve leger, ugg boots clearance, chi flat iron, jimmy choo outlet, canada goose jackets, marc jacobs, soccer shoes, instyler, ferragamo shoes, abercrombie and fitch, mac cosmetics, soccer jerseys, valentino shoes, giuseppe zanotti, bottega veneta, north face jackets, rolex watches, mont blanc, ghd, ugg boots, wedding dresses, insanity workout, asics running shoes, vans shoes, north face outlet, uggs outlet, babyliss pro, nfl jerseys, beats by dre, celine handbags, canada goose, ugg pas cher, ugg boots

December 30, 2014 at 10:47 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home