If the weather was nice or even
just bearable I liked to enjoy lunch in a park near my workplace. That meant Independence
Plaza or Washington Square Park.
There was a candy store on 7th.
Street on my walk to Washington Square Park. One time I bought a small bag of
chocolate covered peanuts, peanut clusters, enough to eat with lunch with a
little bit extra to take home.
The torn off hair on the
squirrel's tail told me he was a warrior. He, or maybe it was she, controlled a
piece of sidewalk and trees on the northeast corner of Washington Square Park.
He knew I had the chocolate covered peanut clusters.
I was on his bench.
They were his chocolate covered peanuts.
He sat on his hind legs 6 feet in front of me staring.
I didn’t throw him any peanut clusters.
He barked. Squirrels bark.
The staring and barking didn’t work
so, his next move was charging my (his) bench, biting my ankle, running back to
the 6-foot line and staring.
I threw him peanut clusters.
He ate them.
He barked for more.
He bit my ankle again.
I didn’t have any peanut clusters left to take home.
Some people recommended having at
least $10.00 cash at all times in case you were mugged. You didn’t want to
anger the mugger and get beaten up. So I bought a bag of peanut clusters being
sure to have enough for the squirrel when I ate my lunch at Washington Square
Park.
