Squirrel Bite

What I went through with the cat bite reminded me of another time I had a finger wounded by an animal. When I was about 12 years old, Dad had nailed two boards to a tree right outside our dining area window. One board was a 2 x 6, which was horizontal, and a 2 x 4, which was underneath the 2 x 6, vertical as a support brace. We would put food on the board and watch birds and squirrels sit on the board and eat.

One morning a squirrel was sitting on the empty board looking in at us as we ate breakfast. I got up, tore my biscuit in half, and went outside to give it to the squirrel. He reached out and took it from me, but when he did, his claw ripped a big cut on the bottom of my finger. It was deep and bled a lot.

Mom took me to the doctor, where he cleaned it up and bandaged it. He said that since we can't get that exact squirrel to test for rabies, I might need some shots in my stomach. I was devastated. He went on to say that he wanted to see me again later that day and again the next morning to see if I was feeling sick. I felt fine both times, so I did not have to get the rabies shots.

Funny thing, I did not blame the squirrel; he did not mean to cut my finger, just like Jasper did not mean to do the same recently. Someone asked me what I did to the cat (Jasper). I responded that I did nothing. He was reacting like any animal that felt threatened. I love all creatures... well, except snakes. I hate snakes, maybe because they were what tempted Eve, which put a curse on Earth.

I am so thankful that I did not have to get those rabies shots in my stomach those many years ago.