I was cleaning up the leaves from the trees at the end of Fall last week, and sat down for a brief rest. When my fried Antnee came jumping up to my feet with a bit of a disgruntled face. He commenced his interrogation thusly:
“Sir, may I ask you a question, Sir?” as if I were ever to try to say otherwise he continued:
“Sir, I have been reading about the murderers in New York, Sir, the dastardly cowards who slaughtered a poor cousin, Sir, a true horrific act. What, Sir, do you think of this?”
Before I could even open my mouth, he continued:
“Rabies, Sir, how idiotic! We squirrels do not carry rabies. Why Sir, I have been vaccinated, like you and that COVID thing Sir, but we are careful! Do these New York butchers have no understanding!”
I knew I should not even try to answer. His rant continued:
“Why Sir, you are a well know expert on viruses, indeed, and you yourself Sir know that we squirrels are not carriers of rabies, but it is those dastardly bats. Yes sir, bats. The sleep when we are awake Sir, and we sleep when they are awake! How, Sir, I beg of you, could we ever get infected! Idiotic!”
He was on a rant indeed. But he had several good points. So I kept silent.
“Well Sir, then these butchers from Albany, attacked poor P’Nut and he bit them. Do they not know Sir, wear gloves, like you Sir, but NO, these fools just tried to squeeze the life of a cousin! Fools Sir, indeed fools!”
“Then these fools Sir, they fail to just blood test for viral antibodies! You know that sir, indeed you do. But in New York, the only solution is death and brain biopsy!”
“Imagine Sir, these same butchers treating your kin folk! Diagnosis by death! Keeps health costs down Sir, keeps the costs down!”
I could see Antnee was getting tired out. So I interjected:
“Antnee, I agree my friend. This was a brutal and uncalled for act. But it was New York after all. A state known for acts of brutality. Just look at New York City, once a thriving metropolis, now a collapsing hell hole of crime and decay.”
“Ah, you are so right Sir, so right. Why just the other day Sir I spoke with cousin Alex, he come over from Staten Island, you recall him Sir, a bit on the heavy side, I guess it is the pizza, well Sir he said that even there the State is starting to interfere. I guess Sir we are safe here for a bit, but we must beware! Beware indeed Sir, for this Government control can cost lives, indeed Sir, first we squirrels, then you humans, Sir! Beware!”
Without another word he just scrambled off, finding an acorn and then commencing the often fruitless task of burying it. Yet I thought of this conversation, as usual Antnee always brought a deep perspective on current events!