I first heard their strange chatter just north of 75th on The Monon Trail. I had no idea what I was hearing – it sounded like a monkey, or something else that wouldn’t logically be perched in a tree in the Midwest. I noticed their loud sounds many times while I was on long runs before I finally spotted one: a tiny squirrel. At first I thought it was just a baby squirrel, but then I realized they were distinct from the typical backyard variety I’ve known since I was a kid.
I mentioned them to several other people, especially runners who I knew would have traveled along the Monon where I’d had all of my sightings. I got the same reaction every time: No way! I’ve never seen one. Are you sure?!
I was starting to doubt it, even though I’d spotted them several times. When I moved to my new house, I was in for a real surprise. Not only do we have lots of these little guys running around our yard, but at least one has made our garage home. It hauled probably 30 lbs of walnuts from the tree in the backyard into an empty cardboard box in our garage. Pretty impressive, actually.
I’ve managed to get some photos, so I can stop feeling like the crazy one. These tiny squirrels really do exist!
This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Prompt: “Ooh! Aah! What surprised you this year? Was it a jump-out-of-your-seat shocking moment? Learning something new that really flipped your wig? A moment in time that left you speechless? A friend or stranger’s actions that really blew your mind? Leave us slack-jawed and standing silent…or at least thoughtfully quiet for a few seconds!”