The Squirrel Rendezvous

I will never stop speaking about this squirrel that I met at USC.

It was a warm sunny day, like all days here. I headed onto campus to buy a plain bagel with cream cheese (the superior kind of bagel) and a matcha latte from The Coffee Bean and started walking towards Roski. I had a painting that needed to be completed by the end of the week, so I was a bit nervous and stressed out. I put my bagel in my tote bag and scrambled to class.

While inside the studio, I pondered the blank canvas ahead of me. What do I paint? What colors should I use? How was Mr. Schuester allowed to be a teacher? Classic thoughts. A culmination of my internal monologue and paint fumes forced me to take a break from painting (and totally not procrastination or anything), so I brought my bagel and latte behind Roski to get ready to finally chow down.

I sat down on the ledge of the walkway, getting out my scrumptious food. I took the bagel out of the paper wrapper and began spreading cream cheese on it. I always use the knife and split the cream cheese in two, taking half and spreading it on each bagel half. I eat the halves one at a time, the best method. As I was chewing, I heard a crinkly sound.

What is that?

I look back at the bagel wrapper I left next to me, and I see Henry. I named him Henry, Henry the squirrel. He was digging around in the bag to see if there was any food inside. He must’ve been really hungry, because he didn’t move away from me. He just kept sniffing the bag, so I gave him a tiny piece of the bagel. Most small animals can’t have high-starch foods, so I kept the piece as tiny as possible. And what did Henry do? HE THREW IT. I LITERALLY SAW A SQUIRREL THROW A PIECE OF BAGEL THREE INCHES TO ITS RIGHT. SQUIRRELS CAN THROW THINGS. I was in the presence of an Olympian.

Obviously he was still hungry, so maybe he smelled the cream cheese and wanted a taste? I mean, when will a squirrel ever get the opportunity to try cream cheese? Again, I gave him a small morsel of bagel with a bit of cream cheese on top. This time, he ate it. He ran on top of the electricity box to face away from me and rip apart the bagel like the savage he is. But then out of the sheer kindness and generosity in his heart, he came back. So gracious. So kind. I decided to give him one more tiny final piece. And he stayed.

I haven’t seen Henry since then. But he will always have a special place in my heart. Until the next bagel.

Why is this important to Helenes? Well, I’m now an avid squirrel watcher and feeder. If anyone would like to go on a squirrel expedition with me, let me know<3 Maybe you could find your own Henry!

Helenes love and all of mine,

Arella