Road Kill

We discovered a dead ‘possum [I’m spelling it the way we say it] on the street just down from our home. It was in the middle of the road, on our usual route in and out of our neighborhood, so it was obvious to everyone in the mini van. Both boys were interested in it, and trying to distract them when we passed it didn’t help at all.

Calfgrit7 put out the idea that it might be playing dead, as ‘possum’s are said to do. I’ve never seen one play dead. All the ones I’ve ever seen that looked dead, were most definitely dead. This one was no exception — it had obviously been run over. (Sorry for putting that image in your mind. Be glad I didn’t take a picture.)

I explained the situation to the Calfgrits: how animals don’t understand about roads and cars, and although most people try to avoid hitting or running over animals in the road, sometimes it happens. Calfgrit7 suggested we stop and get it out of the road. He’s very conscientious about things like that. I then had to explain how we don’t mess with dead animals, or even wounded animals. We have professionals who handle animals — living, hurt, or dead.

I promised to call animal control when we got back home and could look them up in the phone book. When we did get back home, Calfgrit7 made sure to remind me to call about the ‘possum carcass. I tried looking through the book, but I couldn’t find a listing. I then promised to look them up on the computer after they went to bed.

The evening went fine, but Calfgrit7 mentioned the dead ‘possum a couple times, and Calfgrit3 repeated the questions I had already answered — he wanted to make sure he understood this whole situation. (There’s nothing quite like discussing a squashed varmint to diminish an appetite.) I don’t think either of them have noticed a dead animal before this. I and Cowgrit have seen dead animals on or beside the roads while the boys were in the vehicle, but we’ve usually managed to distract them, or else the sight just didn’t register with their brains.

I did as I promised, after the boys were in bed, and I looked up the local animal control department. I called first thing the next morning and left a message with their voice mail about the carcass needing clean up. It was still there when Cowgrit took the boys to school in the morning, but it was gone by the time they came home in the afternoon.

Calfgrit7 was happy that the poor animal had been removed from the road and “buried.” He loves animals, and he has a strong sense that things should be handled properly and politely. It would have hurt his sensibilities for that critter to stay in the road too long. I’m glad our town crews are on the ball with things like that.

Cowgrit has one and only one joke in her humor repertoire, and it’s related to this subject.

Cowgrit: “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

Bullgrit: “I don’t know. Why?”

Cowgrit: “To show the ‘possum it could be done.”

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com