Chapter 3 - "The Adventure Continues"

One thing about wanting something so badly is that when you don’t get it, there is crushing disappointment. There can also be a curious let down once the goal or object is achieved, which is somehow strangely like disappointment. Wicky has taught me a few lessons so far, and those two are at the head of the list.  Let me explain….

At this point, I have tried everything I can possibly think of to lure my little buddy into the havaheart trap. If it smells good, or tastes good – I used it, and… he’s enjoyed it. He is partial to nuts and fruits, and one vegetable  in particular: the carrot.  How do I know? Because he made it very clear to me! Read on….

After a few days of experimental dietary lures, I thought I had it all figured out: fruits, nuts, crackers smeared with peanut butter, and even a piece of chocolate. Trust me, he loved each and every morsel. However, each time I checked the trap the door would be down, but the trap devoid of any living creatures.  Then, I got the bright idea to disguise the trap with leaves, old tomato plants, etc., etc. (OK, one of my friends asked a co worker of hers and the suggestion came from her). Well, I go back inside the house and peek out the back door window. Five minutes later, I had my first ‘customer’. A fat, inquisitive gray squirrel! Oh, NO, I thought! Get away!!! In the trap he went, and SNAP! Down flew the door! I caught squirrel number one.  Go outside, release now psychotic squirrel, reload and reset the  trap…go back inside to wait. Rinse and repeat no less than three more times! Over the course of one afternoon I somehow managed to catch and then had to release a total of four very angry squirrels! But…no Wicky. Of course not! The trap was too busy -- it was like Macy’s at Christmas time!  He’d have to wait in line!!  After the mad rush, the squirrels finally got the message (thank God!). They decided to leave the thing alone.

The next morning – and, by now quite needless to say, the trap was once again sprung, door down, and no Wicky inside – I decided to clean out the mess of peanut shells, empty little jar lids (you can’t put yogurt, sour cream or gobs of peanut butter directly on the ground – they’re better off in a jar lid) and other wilting junk. When I looked in the trap, I thought “That’s odd! There seems to be so much stuff in here!” It just didn’t look right, ya know?

Well, to my utter astonishment, I discovered that little Wicky was using the trap for his own personal little ‘food bank’! Toward the back end of the trap, where no other animal would dare to go, was a pile of whole peanuts, cherry tomatoes (FRESH ones), and a baby carrot! Now, I admit, those might have been the cherry tomatoes I put in there…but the baby carrot? No Way! I don’t even BUY any baby carrots! What’s even more disturbing is…where did he manage to get it from?? Hmmmm……curious….and creepy.

I reset the trap and went back inside, taking up my covert ops position, to watch. Sure enough, out scoots little Wicky from underneath our shed…and he goes up to the back end of the trap and proceeds to reach the baby carrot with his by now 3 inch long arm! He takes a few nibbles, looks around at his mess hall, goes to the front end of the trap and holy Lord, almighty….he goes INTO the trap! Snagging a fresh peanut, he scoots back out again. The door remains UP…and I swear, I could hear little, tiny mad laughter as he disappeared back underneath the shed!

I retreat to my computer room, and somewhat discouraged, I email my husband this quick note:

OK, this has now passed the boundary of humiliation and is moving dangerously close to "give it up."

So far, as of yesterday,  I have caught four squirrels and 0 'you-know-who's'. The worse part is, the little varmint ran around, madly picking up the squirrel's peanuts (I saw him DO it!), lickety-split, one after the other, and....pardon the expression...squirrel them away somewhere under the shed.

THEN, the dumb squirrels went into the trap to get his share and voila! Four very angry squirrels, again, one after the other. The fifth one managed to get away thanks to Max, who I let out and he chased him. I could have sworn I heard little tee-heeing coming from somewhere close by.  !!!

But, the varmint I want to catch is still doing his thing. Sort of. It's raining outside...I'm getting wet and cranky, and am "this close" to running out with a broom, and SMACK!

He's pushing it. He really is.  Wish me luck....

luv
me

PS

It wouldn’t be so humiliating, but he’s putting food INTO the trap! Please help!

Here’s what he sent me back:

To be continued.....