I've been house sitting for my parents for the past week. I live near downtown and they live on the lake and though there are only around 12 miles between us, sometimes it feels a world apart. Though not technically the country, their property is heavily wooded and quite wild. Yesterday when I went to collect the mail a 6 inch gecko came out, surfing on this month's Better Homes and Gardens. And while showering this morning I reached to pick up the bar of soap and watched as a scorpion crawled out of the drain, covered in suds.
Not too long ago, one of their neighbors caught a havelina in their herb garden. Another had their poor Pomeranian devoured by a hungry bobcat.
Today I woke to these wild things.
And after they had their morning stretches and scratches and snacks we went for a walk. 8:00 am and it's 86 degrees already and will reach 103, yet again. I return, dogs panting, and I'm covered in sweat. The dogs cool their heels while I water the plants when out of the corner of my eye I spot something. Something, some creature is swimming frantic circles in the pool, trying to find a way out. I climb down to the deck and peer in to find a baby squirrel, seconds from drowning. It's little legs paddling as fast as they can and only his tiny snout above water. I grab the net and fish him out but water logged and spent, he looks to be a goner. I grab one of the beach towels that was drying on the deck and wrap him in it and then hold him in my lap while the dogs lose their minds over what appears to be an excellent playtoy. I hold him in my lap and think healing thoughts. He's only a rodent but he is a living thing and no living things are gonna die on my watch. Even the scorpion lived to tell about his experience, surviving a tsunami of Pantene.
I sing a little song that's been stuck in my head all morning and after a few minutes the squirrel starts to wriggle. I open up the towel in the bushes and he crawls out, stares at me for a second and then tears off into the woods.
My good deed done for the day, I crown myself QUEEN OF ALL WILD THINGS and I slip off my clothes and climb into the pool.
If you loved this book as I did then you will either cheer or cry blasphemy when you see this trailer. (I cheered)
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Matt Paust
sagemerlin
Sparking
consonantsandvowels
kmbearden
coogansbluf
Salon.com
Comments
Let's all howl. We can take turns being Max.
Oh, almost forgot - marvelous job with the squirrel. You are now MY new hero. :-D
Thanks, Janie. I've been called worse things;) Namaste, sister.
Bill: Did you watch the video? How magical are those wild things!? And the one with James Gandolfini's voice? Fugedaboutit!
Manchu: thanks for the mental picture...;) but seriously, a scorpion sting is like a bad wasp sting. it ain't fatal. but a polar bear could take your head clean off with one swipe!
Tom: you know I aim to please.
Psychmama: Isn't Max too cute for words? This video totally makes me cry and cheer. I've watched it like 10 times and I get a lump in my throat every bloody time.
"Inside all of us is a wild thing" Yep.., Damn I NEEDS to see that movie.
Loved that even the scorpion gets a pass in Dharma's world, "surviving a tsunami of pantene".
And the itty bitty damn near drowned baby squirrel revived by love and a " little song that's been stuck in my head all morning".
103 degrees you can keep but you made me feel good with this one D :)
"My good deed done for the day, I crown myself QUEEN OF ALL WILD THINGS and I slip off my clothes and climb into the pool. "
The image of the disrobed Dharma slipping into the pool makes me wanna say "Me Tarzan, you Jane". Wild thing...
here's that little song that was playing in my head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPOozWDdYek
yup. still blushing over here.
I have a dog-eared copy right here. come over and I'll read it to ya.
Barkinglot: you are my new favorite person. i am crying over the dunce hat tombstones.
ghostwriters: thanks, darlin. you are a welcome member of my royal court.
moving on. lovely post, my dharma Queen!!!! well, except for the freaking scorpion. yuck! i dont' know what to think of the trailer. i loved it but i adore Spike Jonz. now i have to get the book out the library!!! oh, god, those canine-americans made me so happy. remind me of their names. i'm running a big fever. and the baby squirrel!!!! i happen to LOVE rodentials, having had several pet rats. did you know that some of your peeps what your state to secede -- shit, i'm blanking on how to spell this -- from the Union!!! oh, yes, that's a great idea. and Kinky Friedman is running for governor again! what a world, eh? love love love and HUGE gratitude for all of the wonderfulness in this post.
Teddy: Trotsky is the little one and Lola is the big canine american. As for the Wild Things I can only hope that the movie is as good as the trailer. I think it's magical. It's the only thing that's keeping me from ripping my hair out over the news this week.
Sorry you're feeling crummy, doll:(
all about the process of getting the movie done, i think and hope. shit, it's hard coming here now. why can't people figure out that if they love my friends and my friends love me, then maybe i'm not the worst mean person in teh world. it's really fucking painful. no more reading your comments, honey. no more.
—Melissa