Last night was a big night in the Eisinger household, and not because it was Vivi’s first Halloween. That was kind of fun though. I insisted on getting extra use out of her $2 consignment cow costume since it is against the parent code to take in infant trick-or-treating. I didn’t really want the candy and clearly Vivi would be more interested in the wrappers than anything else at this point, and somehow it just felt awkward to glom onto another family and pretend to be related to them as we roamed house to house.
The alternative to making a major faux pas involved turning on blinking bicycle lights in the front porch and Rolf and me both clamoring for the door upon the ring of our doorbell. Vivi greeted many of the kids in her cow costume, seemingly unaffected by the ghosts, princesses, and various characters who cheerily demanded sugary treats.
The alternative to making a major faux pas involved turning on blinking bicycle lights in the front porch and Rolf and me both clamoring for the door upon the ring of our doorbell. Vivi greeted many of the kids in her cow costume, seemingly unaffected by the ghosts, princesses, and various characters who cheerily demanded sugary treats.
The doorbell quit buzzing long about 8pm or so, and I heard Rolf let Tina out for one of her many evening watches over the backyard. Not two minutes later I hear Rolf say, in an uncharacteristically startled voice, “Oh man. Umm…”
I don’t hear that tone often. In fact, the last time I heard it was when he opened up our kitchen cupboard, only to be greeted by the beady eyes of a mouse. The situation ended well for us, though I can’t say the same for the innocent little mouse who met an unfortunate demise as a pair of leather gloves loomed over him.
I don’t hear that tone often. In fact, the last time I heard it was when he opened up our kitchen cupboard, only to be greeted by the beady eyes of a mouse. The situation ended well for us, though I can’t say the same for the innocent little mouse who met an unfortunate demise as a pair of leather gloves loomed over him.
But back to the deck.
Rolf came into the living room after praising Tina and dropping some extra food into her bowl. “Well, I’ve finally seen Tina’s vicious side. She actually has one.”
“What does this mean? What are you talking about?”
“Well, that possum that I told you I thought was trying to make a home beneath the deck? He’s dead. Tina killed it.”
You have to understand that both Rolf and I are horrified by possums. I am because I am terrified of mice and everyone knows that a possum is essentially a rat on steroids, only with more intense teeth, which is the very thing that terrifies Rolf about them.
Apparently Tina saw the disgusting vermin as soon as the door opened, and went straight for its neck. The possum went limp and Rolf called her away from it before the deck resembled a gruesome scene from a B list Halloween movie.
“How do I get rid of it? What should I do?”
“Well, why don’t you get a plastic bag, dump it in, and put it in the trash can?” I was secretly relieved to have a sleeping babe in my arms. Babies can certainly get you out of a thing or two.
Rolf located a pair of gloves and summoned all the courage he can muster as he headed out into the chilly night to deal with a creepy, dead possum. Ten minutes later he came back into the living room with a traumatized expression on his face.
Rolf came into the living room after praising Tina and dropping some extra food into her bowl. “Well, I’ve finally seen Tina’s vicious side. She actually has one.”
“Well, that possum that I told you I thought was trying to make a home beneath the deck? He’s dead. Tina killed it.”
You have to understand that both Rolf and I are horrified by possums. I am because I am terrified of mice and everyone knows that a possum is essentially a rat on steroids, only with more intense teeth, which is the very thing that terrifies Rolf about them.
Apparently Tina saw the disgusting vermin as soon as the door opened, and went straight for its neck. The possum went limp and Rolf called her away from it before the deck resembled a gruesome scene from a B list Halloween movie.
“How do I get rid of it? What should I do?”
“Well, why don’t you get a plastic bag, dump it in, and put it in the trash can?” I was secretly relieved to have a sleeping babe in my arms. Babies can certainly get you out of a thing or two.
Rolf located a pair of gloves and summoned all the courage he can muster as he headed out into the chilly night to deal with a creepy, dead possum. Ten minutes later he came back into the living room with a traumatized expression on his face.
“Apparently there’s something to the expression ‘playing possum’ because that’s what that possum was doing.”
Rolf had accessories in hand to rid us of our unwelcome guest when suddently it popped up and began hissing. Not knowing what to do, Rolf went downstairs, located a bat, and then did what he had to do to put the possum out of its misery.
Rolf had accessories in hand to rid us of our unwelcome guest when suddently it popped up and began hissing. Not knowing what to do, Rolf went downstairs, located a bat, and then did what he had to do to put the possum out of its misery.
Our sweet neighbor Angie took that very moment to let her dogs outside. She found Rolf, donning gloves and with a bat hoisted above his shoulder.
“Well, I guess that’s what you have to do sometimes…” was her response to the situation.
“Well, I guess that’s what you have to do sometimes…” was her response to the situation.
All in all, our evening was pretty entertaining. Vivi experienced her first Halloween, albeit seemingly unimpressed. We handed out candy to kids, watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, ironed a few clothes, and killed a giant rat.
And Halloween 2012 is on the books. Is it too soon to listen to Christmas music???
And Halloween 2012 is on the books. Is it too soon to listen to Christmas music???
| Defense Mechanism | Description | Picture |
| "Playing 'possum" | The opossum has an involuntary comatose-like state induced by extreme fear. Predators find “the kill” part of the stimulus to eat; therefore, an inert opossum does nothing to excite their appetite, and they will leave it alone. Somehow the opossum’s body knows when the danger has passed, and the opossum “comes to” again. Nature’s mystery! |  |
No comments:
Post a Comment