The Chipmunk

Until recently the most I knew about chipmunks came from watching Alvin, Simon and Theodore - three cute and adventurous chipmunks who sing songs and find themselves in precarious situations. Watching their animated antics on screen is funny and good for a laugh. Real life chipmunks are cute, too. The first time I saw one of those tiny sized chipmunks with the wide stripe down its back scurry up the tree outside our window, I thought to myself , "What a loveable little creature".

However, in the last week I've also learned this sweet, innocent looking critter is also clever and cunning, and can be a real tormenter, especially when teasing Sam E. Beagle and Missy dog. For the past several days our woodsey neighbor scampers back and forth along the retaining wall, stopping every few minutes to tantalize Sam and Missy who are laying nearby ; It's almost like the chipmunk is mocking them; Taunting them in animal speak, "Catch me if you can", until they can't take it any longer. Then, like there was a sudden blare of the bugle and someone yelling, 'Charge', they take off like hounds out of the gate on a long awaited fox hunt. I curse the chipmunk and yell at the excited dogs to stop, but they don't listen.

In fact, they pay no mind at all at what's before them, only the scent of the chipmunk. They trample over flowers, breaking pots along the way in an effort to catch their prey. But there's not a chance, the chipmunk has all the moves and is way too fast. He's long gone; Safe and secure in his protected burrow somewhere under our front garden planter. Sam and Missy finally quiet down, and my anger slowly abates.

I get busy picking up broken stems and crushed flowers and notice two dark eyes peering at me from behind a rock - it's the chipmunk quietly watching me clean up the mess he helped create. I want to shoo him away, but am surprised by how brazen he is that he would return to the scene of the crime so soon, and instead I just stare at him staring at me. We seem to play this game of whose going to blink first for several minutes before a sudden noise startles the ever alert chipmunk and he quickly runs off in another direction.

The Humane Society writes on their website: " Chipmunks are enjoyable animals, and there's more to say about the pleasure that comes from having them around than the problems they may cause". Yes, chipmunks bring more pleasure than problems, but please, no more broken pots.