I came home from work pleased to be greeted by the warm glow of the front porch light. I pulled into the driveway and the motion sensor light came on just as it should illuminating the back yard. I walked up the back steps and put my key in the door. I was about to open the door when I looked down an saw that a baby opossum was huddled between the screen door and the back door. He was small and gray and tear drop shaped, but with the characteristic 'possum tail.
I live in the city - an inner-ring suburb to be exact. In the neighborhood there are stretches of golf-course, a stream bed, some ponds with an historic background and park-like areas. But this is not the woods.
I was enchanted by the little creature - a little worried and a little angry that he could not find a more appropriate place to live. In spite of living in the rust belt; in spite of the downward turning economy, more and more building is going on and even the open places I remember as a child have been replaced by concrete and asphalt.
My opossum friend scuttled off into the darkening yard. I wish him well. And I will keep the cats in tonight.
