A Squirrel's Conversation

Short Story by: Texasjane

Reads: 700 | Likes: 7 | Shelves: 2 | Comments: 7

This story came to mind after spending a day volunteering.

After spending the morning volunteering at a senior center I came home and started watching the activity outside my window. This story came to mind.

I watched as a squirrel came scampering across the street in front of my house. It is a major highway and I am glad he got across without any problems. Since there are railroad tracks over there I assume he is here from out of town. No suitcases, just a guess.

My resident, Mr. Sq, scampered down one of the pecan tree branches he had been working on all day. I know there was chatter because they were looking at each other while flickering tails and twitching at each other. The traveler took just a few short hops to the trunk of the tree and ran down the tree branch over to chat with the resident. Their tails were flickering as they met. Mr. Sq waved his arms as if to tell the guy that all this was his. He jumped over to another branch of the tree that had not been picked clean of pecans. Now, you must understand the ground is covered with pecans. There was no reason to go to so much trouble. Mr. Sq did what he did yesterday; he scampered to a branch out on a twig and snatched the pecan on the end. The traveler followed and did so… on another twig. The two met on a larger branch and proceeded to enjoy their bounty. As they were snacking I watched with great interest the mannerisms Mr. Sq was making. The conversation must have gone something like this.

“I just do this for fun. You know in my previous life I was a lion. Boy that was the life. I could sleep all day if I wanted. I had a lot of hair around my neck and down my shoulders. All I had to do was sit each day in the sun, lean back once in a while and shake my head … like this. Then I would yawn, see and show everyone my teeth.” Like, this… see? You see my teeth?” Mr. Sq tilted his head back with his mouth wide open and shook his head. I had seen this before so was sure of what was being said. "Now, I’m a squirrel. The wife doesn’t understand I’m working at a handicap. See, when I was a lion it was up to her to do all the killing and getting food. I was just supposed to show up and eat. I always got to eat first too. The only thing I was supposed to really do is service her (you know what I mean) when she said she wanted it. Every once in a while I got stuck with the kids, but even then all I had to do was throw my head back (show’em how Purdy I was) and yawn. You want me to show you my teeth again?”

All the chatter stopped when Mrs. Sq showed up. Once again she is chattering and nudging him in the back of the head and finally taps him on the shoulder with one hand only to nudge him again in the same spot. Then she chatters to the traveler. “He been tellin’ you he was once a lion?” She shook her head. “He tried to tell me that stuff too. I never heard of a lion. All I know is squirrel. And he is a squirrel.”He interrupts her and flickers his tail. “I know what you were in your previous life, you were a mare.” She throws both hands in the air, turns, and scampers away down to the ground to gather more pecans. The traveler sat quietly for a few minutes and then he dared to ask, “What is a mare?” Mr. Sq answered, “I’m sure she used to be one. That is what they give racehorses when they retire from the track, a nag. They remind them when they are supposed to do stuff. They call them mares.”

The traveler scratched his head; said his goodbyes and ran down the trunk of the tree. He chatted with Mrs. Sq for a second, snatched a couple of pecans and stuffed them in his jaw, and ran off down the street.

I know what he was thinking. One short visit had educated him about lions, racehorses, and mares. He shook his head. The poor guy has it all wrong. When I was a crock all I had to do is show up to get my dinner and make everyone scatter. I did not have to show them my teeth. And what is a yawn? He is wrong about mares too. Mares have strips on them and run with a whole bunch of other mares, not racehorses. I don’t know what to think of a nag.

Yeah, the poor guy has it all wrong. Now you notice that he talked about being a lion but never asked about me. I guess I’m glad he did not ask, no tellin’ what he thinks a crock is. Being a crock was great, but being a squirrel is a whole lot easier and dryer. I don’t have to wrestle a pecan to eat.

He glances over at another tree and saw two squirrels hanging upside down. I am sure he said to himself... used to be monkeys.. for sure. Boy, now that is entertaining when you are laying in water up to your eyeballs. Boy, they like to argue about everything. I might go hear their story. I think I have a new hobby. Getting to know the other squirrels in this life and finding out what they used to be.

I may have to listen to a lot of nuts. It is all good. Yes, I like being a squirrel. Poor guy, when is he going to realize he is a squirrel? He is not what he thinks he used to be, but a squirrel. He is not what he thinks he is going to be, but a squirrel. We both are squirrels. It makes no difference what I “was”, today I am a squirrel. Thank you father, I’m doing just fine the way you made me. I’m going to be the best squirrel I can be today. Nothing else matters. Everything else is just plain nuts…

He scampers across the street and up the tree with the two squirrels hanging upside down. It only took a few minutes of listening to the chatter. He had to ask, "Now, what was it like being a monkey?" See, he tells himself, I was right.

Submitted: June 06, 2020

Fan Fiction humor fun animals

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Comments

Criss Sole

I thought this was charming.
When i was little my parents and i would go out and feed squirrels. As a kid i always wondered if squirrels had their own language.
Very cute story.

Sun, June 7th, 2020 12:53pm

Author
Reply

I really appreciate your comments. I have several other squirrel stories you might enjoy. I look forward to communicating with you about your work as well. Thank you so much, Criss.

Sun, June 7th, 2020 7:37am

dewey green

Cute and entertaining story mate!

Sun, June 7th, 2020 2:31pm

Author
Reply

Thank you so very much for the kind words. I have many more tales to tell. Love your picture, Dewey.

Sun, June 7th, 2020 7:35am

Needless

Love it! I'd actually love to see a whole story from this, like one where animals go around and have adventures and are reincarnated from other creatures! It would be a whimsical tale :)

Wed, June 17th, 2020 9:16pm

Author
Reply

I have had several people tell me that. I will have to think upon it a bit. Thank you so much for your input. I am still working on your wonderful book. Enjoying it too. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Wed, June 17th, 2020 7:39pm

Excellent Theophilus

What an inspirational story! The part I like best is...
'Thank you father, I'm doing just fine the way you made me.'
It means a lot, it made me appreciate who I am and not want to be like any other.

It is indeed an inspirational story :)

Sat, June 20th, 2020 2:25pm

Author
Reply

Thank you so much. After spending the day at the senior center listening to each person tell me what they used to be it seemed someone needed to be happy with who or what they are right now. I am so glad you enjoyed the story. Let me know if there are any mistakes.

Sat, June 20th, 2020 8:20am

Grey-Nomad123

Fabulous! Flipping Fabulous! And what a great wee ending. Thank you. Arohanui.

Sat, August 14th, 2021 4:58am

Author
Reply

Thank you so very much for your review. It is most appreciated.

Fri, August 13th, 2021 11:38pm

Silgorious

Nice story with a touch of humour. I still can't stop laughing at the monkey comments made in the story ????????.
It must be challenging to get a squirrel's POV right.

Mon, August 23rd, 2021 2:48pm

Author
Reply

Thank you so much. Someone called me squirrely once. I seem to have been able to see from a squirrel's pov ever since then. I am glad you enjoyed the story.

Mon, August 23rd, 2021 9:05am