The Opossum Under The Deck

What was supposed to be a little trip to the backyard for a last bladder void before the storms started soon escalated into something else--something that is the stuff of legends.  Henceforth, this night shall be remembered as the great 'possum incident of ought-thirteen!

What started out as a quick trip, turned into nearly an hour's adventure involving cornering the critter under the deck in a 20-minute standoff in the dark and pouring rain.  A scene complete with non-stop muffled barking and punctuated by flashes of lightning and distant (thankfully) rounds of thunder. 

After unsuccessfully searching for a working flashlight, and at the time not at all certain what was going on under the deck--it's pretty low to the ground in the area where the parking was occurring (and it's scarcely more than 8 inches off of the ground at it's highest corner), I resorted to plan B.  I grabbed the hose and shot a stream of water into the darkness at the place I thought Romeo was located.  Silence. 

A muffled scurrying.  A shadow quickly bumbling down the yard to the fence and then off along it into the dark.  Then, Romeo's figure followed suit as I watched through the darkness and rain.  I had to give him his moment.  He ran from place to place huffing and puffing, but the lightning was getting closer, so I also had to get us both inside. 

Romeo was not ready for the mission to end.  He turned and ran to the lower corner of the yard and dove feverishly into digging at the bottom of the fence.  "Oh no!" I thought.  I ran down and scooped him up into my arms and carried back into the house where I could see clearly that my white shirt was covered in dirt and mud.  The only white shirt I own, of course!

Next stop, the bathroom upstairs with him half-heartedly trying to jerk free to no avail.  Into the tub he went, out of my wet, soiled clothes, and in I went, too.  I have never been more grateful to have sliding glass doors on my bathtub.  Oh the indignity!  But  his resignation was swift and complete--our first bath.

Tonight when he REM sleeps, I am certain he will be replaying the events of this evening and the expulsion of the opossum from her lair under our deck.