We Caught a Squirrel
Mom and I had to save a squirrel from drowning in our inflatable pool. I know what you are thinking. You are picturing Sean & Maddie’s pool that we put on the deck in the summer. Couldn’t a squirrel just jump out of that pool?
I (not so lightly) pushed Mom to get an inflatable pool for adults. I’m spending more time at home this summer and it gets hot out here! I thought it would be more enjoyable to read all of your hardcover books while floating in a pool.
Mom blew up and filled up the pool for me. I finished the work day and joined her on the deck. I heard a lot of flapping and then some water, and thought, hmmmm something is in the pool. We stood up and sure enough, there was a squirrel swimming in the pool.
The rush of emotions made me both fearful that the squirrel would attack me and sad that the squirrel would die. I said “This is the saddest thing ever, you know, after Dad dying.” I am sorry Dad. It was supposed to be funny.
We soon realized that it would not be able to get out on the side because it had no grip. We had to let water out. Mom yelled that we would have to scoop it out, but that she wasn’t doing that. With enough water drained, it finally crawled up the side, but he froze. We had to make loud noises to scoot him off the deck where he seemingly hyperventilated and shivered for over 20 minutes. He finally ran off into the woods.
What would you have done if you were here? You would not have been that helpful, honestly. I think you would have gone to the garage to get a hockey stick to fling him out of the pool. That would have been hilarious and terrifying.
The double-edged sword is that we so desperately need moments to make us laugh and smile. But, when they come, we wish you were with us to laugh and smile too.
Dad, we didn’t need you to help us get the squirrel out of the pool. But if you were here, I am sure your actions would have added another layer of hilarity to this strange incident. We will learn to live without you. We just don’t want to. We saved a squirrel from drowning, and we are trying to save ourselves from drowning too. We hope every laugh brings us closer to the surface.
