Night Critters and Driving

I'd worked about 40 hours straight on a project. (Yes. I do this. I know. It's weird. Just take comfort in the thought you didn't marry me, ok?) Teetering on the edge of hallucinations I decided I better wrap it up and head home at about 3:30 AM last night.......then remembered we were out of smokes. No way I'm getting up in the morning to no smokes. (Still planning to quit though. It's coming. Smoking = bad!)

So I head to the garage instead of the house. Jump in the van and I'm off to the nearest town with an all night gas station, (in fact the only town with an all night gas station within 30 miles.)

Now I was teetering on the edge of hallucinations. You know, when you start seeing stuff move out of the corner of your eye then swivel your head and nothing is moving? This doesn't happen to you? Guess it's just me.

But none of the following were hallucinations. Promise.

About 2 miles from home I spot fair sized road kill on the center line. I don't quite catch what it is because simultaneously on my right I spot a deer running in the ditch next to the car. Luckily she keeps her head, (legs and guts), and stays in the ditch.

I make the eight miles to the gas station with only one more roadside deer companion. We're doing great!

Write the check and realize it's one of my best friend's birthday today. (I actually remembered to call her tonight. Yeah!)

Headed home, I point the car out of the lot and the lights hit Street Kitty, who startles then scampers off.

About halfway home I see something black and moving just as it disappears under my van. Hit brakes! Keep going. Your brain takes a minute to register that brakes would be useless, so you just get that reflex tap on the brakes before you move on. I'm happy to report there was no tell-tale bump to indicate I had hit Black and Moving object.

What is that smell? Oh man, Black and Moving was apparently a skunk with its own reflex reaction to having a moving object pass over it's head at 60 miles per hour.

The scent lingers with me most of the way home. I wonder if Black and Moving managed to spray the bottom of the van.

Turn towards the house and the headlights illuminate the center line roadkill. Ahhh. Now I see. One less porcupine in the woods today. Meanwhile the right ditch deer is now a left ditch deer and has resolved herself that I don't plan to aim the vehicle for her presonally. We both handle encounter two of the last half hour with calmer nerves and a little more class as a result.

I made it home but left the van in the driveway in case Black and Moving did actually spray the vehicle. That's one garage air freshener I can do without.

Won't be bloggin much tommorrow. See you when I see you!

Beware the night critters.

Comments

[Cathy]

So far, I've tallied a few raccoons, a pheasant, a rabbit, and countless frogs. I've yet to hit a skunk, though.

*sniff* I think I'm a bit jealous.

[Beth]

At dawn and dusk, there are a fair amount of deer critters wandering the roads I drive to and from work.

Here, if one crosses your path, you can almost depend on another 2 or 3 bounding in front of you, so I always just stop as soon as I see one to make sure.

I have several friends who have totalled cars by hitting bambi #2 or 3 after Bambi #1 crosses in front of them and they think they are safe.

The skunk thing - ugh!