2004-04-09

Chipmunk Luuuuv

OH, gee. I just looked and 4 whole people (well I assume they�re whole, I mean, who wants to be half a people?) have my diary listed on their fave list.

Just thought I�d share that. Not that I give a real whoop but it�s kinda neat that I have 4 people who at least pretend to read here.

But that�s not what I wanted to write about today.

Today, my subject is chipmunks.

I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that my office has double doors to the outside, not 5 feet from my desk. (if not, consider it mentioned now)

Well, while it�s not woodland out there, it�s certainly a nice area with plants, trees, grass, ivy and other stuff. Nice chipmunk habitat. And a plethora of nice chewy wires for the young�uns, on which to cut their teeth every year, thus insuring we always have new wiring for our various computer, air conditioner and phone systems.

Anyway.

Occasionally, some of the wildlife gets a little confused and wanders into my office. Now, this is fine with me, and I have an interior door as well, separating me from the rest of the building here in the Lion�s Den. But, sometimes accidents happen.

As my guests, I�ve had birds landing on my cabinets, butterflies fluttering around my desk, all sorts of bugs and bees, and occasionally, a chipmunk.

A few seasons ago, I was here by my lonesome, catching up on paperwork that is part of my job, but which I am unable to do during the day because of my job. At that particular time, there were boxes abundantly scattered about, and most of the cabinets open, the reason for which escapes me right now. As did the chipmunk who wandered in.

The cleaning lady was kind of nervous, thinking it was kind of like a rat. I assured her they were harmless, and we went about looking for the li�l guy to gently scoot him back outside. I think I later saw him run back out.

However, just in case, I called security and asked for Q. I was going to be off the next day, and I didn�t want someone to smoosh the chipmunk (as many are wont to do, to my disgust). Q was the one security guy I was confident would understand, and NOT engage in any chipmunk-smooshing.

Well, Q wasn�t on, so the head of the Security department called me back and asked what the problem was.

I told him.

After the laughter died down, D agreed they�d keep an eye out and promised they wouldn�t smoosh anything.

At least not in my office. They�ve learned not to kill anything in or around my office. Someday they�ll learn not to send the Pest Control guy here too but that�s another issue.

Anyway, this was a Thursday. Fast forward to Monday.

My favorite coworker, he of the masterful squib, related the tale.

Apparently, word got around. One of the other ladies (who loves dogs but does not extend that adoration to other of the furred species, especially smallish rodenty things) began hearing scratching noises. Ergo, they thought, Ravyn�s chipmunk must have gotten into the rest of the building.

Maintenance was called.

Much running around and hysteria ensued.

Towels were placed under doors and the building evacuated.

In an effort to be funny, mocking one gentleman�s inordinate fear of the entire rodentia family, one of the maintenance guys supposedly brought a big machete with which to battle the fell beast.

No chipmunk was found.

Thank the gods.

A short while later, I crawled back up into my chair still wheezing from laughter at the relating of this tale, how one illusory and possibly non-existent chipmunk brought fear and loathing to a dozen people, all because of one gentleman�s hysteria.

This whole thing was brought to mind now because at the moment, I�m watching the chipmunks run around caching food and making nests and such. Or whatever their little chipmunk hormones and instincts are making them do, running back and forth like they are.

And some are still mating.

As I started this entry, I was watching one amorous male (presumably, since he was the boinkER and not the boinkEE) chasing a coy female (see previous assumption) and trying to mount her on the run.

This may be erotica supreme to a chipmunk but it looks kinda silly to me. How do we get so many little chipmunks with this boinking-on-the-run going on? And people think we as the Human Race are hasty and stressed! Imagine having to do THAT on the go.

So, here I sit, contemplating the small wildlife outside my door, and watching to make sure the errant child, just released from class, doesn't go chasing the bunnies.

Whups! There goes another one.

Gotta gopher chipmunk love.

heh.

Mitakuye Oyasin

(even chippies)

Walk in Balance

(and don't fall off while boinking)