True Story

Last evening, while walking about half way up steps outside in my yard... At the top, there an opossum getting ready to walk down those steps.

Would you be interested to find out what happened next?

I can't speak for anyone else but yes, please carry on.

We have a saying in the UK, "I've started so I'll finish".   

We both stopped... And, there we were, a person and an opossum face to face.

Would anyone like to know what happened next?

Perhaps a few more details between stopping points would be desired. As it sits now, "Would anyone like to know what happened next?" takes up around three fifths of the story.

Please, more.

I had to look one up. Cute with nasty, pointy teeth.

To reach the main house, the landscape is craggy, on a steep hill, with concrete steps and pathway to climb.
With me, half way up the steps. Opossum, at the top. The marsupial, this wild creature, had the higher ground.

Imagine... What happened next, anybody?

Is this a story where each person takes a turn directing the way the story plays out? If so, it would probably have been good information to have beforehand. If not, then I must tell you that none of us have ever (seriously) claimed to be psychic.

Under a new moon, dark and silent. After midnight, noone else around, except a civilized creature, and a wild creature, which showed no fear.

Is anyone eager to know what took place next?

Well...  The culmination of this story was so intense, that it prompted me to contact the Opossum Society of the United States

I read through some of Opossum Society site, poor little creatures, it seems they are having quite a hard time. Glad that the sites is there and trying to help.

QuoteOpossums are extremely adaptable and have successfully made the transition to accept people as their neighbors. With a little tolerance and understanding you can do the same for the opossum, and we can all happily co-exist.

http://opossumsocietyus.org/general-opossum-information/living-opossums/

Gives me some hope 

My email to the Opossum Society of the United States...

Quote
True Story

Last night, while walking up the steps in my yard,  at the top of the steps
there an opossum getting ready to walk down those steps.

We both stopped... And, there we were, a person and an opossum  face to
face.  

I muttered, "Whoa!" under my breath.

The opossum,  not too worried it seemed, turned around and scurried away in
my yard in the opposite direction.

So, this is a true story about what prompted me to  learn more about
opossums at http://opossumsocietyus.org

As it turns out, I learned how lucky I am to have an opossum living in my yard.  After sending the email, the response from Opossum Society of the United States was quite interesting.  Would anyone be curious to read that email reply?

The email from the Opossum Society of the United States replied, "I'm glad you wish to learn more about this  ancient marsupial.  Our website is full of facts."  Well, one thing I learned is that this marsupial is not a rodent.  

Rather an opossum is a mammal, related to the kangaroo or koala.  When they open their mouth and show all their sharp teeth, that is more or less a bluff which they use as a defense.  It is a wild animal.  You can't pet it or pick it up.  But, in reality it is very, very unlikely to ever get bitten by one.  

As long as you leave opossums alone, there's no need to fear them.  They won't bother you, and they are nice wild animals to have around.  They keep the mouse, and rat population in check.  They eat large spiders too, and they don't remain in the area for too long, so they are not a nuisance.

It's also worth noting here that trying to cook an opossum isn't the best of ideas. Mainly this is because the flesh of the 'possum' is rather fatty and oily, so as a result you get both shrinkage of the meat, and a slightly putrid flavor. When I lived in Tennessee, one of my friends shot a possum out of a tree in his backyard, so being the epitome of "redneck", he decided to cook it up for dinner, and invited me and my family over to dinner. Needless to say, it didn't go so well.

Oh that's a wonderful story.  Learned something new! All's needed is a good recipe for opossum.

There was a serious unfortunate incident that happened unexpectedly.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Yet, better to ask your permission first.  

WARNING: The End of this True Story is disturbing, indeed.  

( Just in time for Halloween. )