Part 2: Tommy

Part 2: TOMMY

A note of caution: The point of no return once

breached can be regretted but ... cannot be

rescinded.

.                                                                   —barbsdad

IT JUST SO HAPPENED that on that same morning,

mangy feral tomcat, aka Tommy, had entertained

the very same notion---that is, to arrive at patio

quietly and lie in wait for black squirrel just beyond

tree trunk near patio's edge, and then to strike

(with a sudden whump!) come first opportunity.

Black squirrel would make a satisfactory main

dish. And if a mouth-watering raw bird or two

(perhaps a chubby turtledove, or maybe a couple

of cheerful plump sparrows, or even a criant

cardinal) became available to fashion

a feathers-wrapped handy-dandy dessert,

so much the better.

It seemed to be a good, simple-enough scheme,

and chances for success were quite high,

or so tomcat figured.

So it was that as Tommy approached behind

tree next to patio, red fox was just then in

the act of crunching and wolfing down

sunflower seeds---right along with their tough

shells, naturally. And the eating noises

incidental to such activity---especially when

coupled with the clipped sight of the tip of

red vixen's left ear while she engaged in

her chomping and swallowing movements

(an ear that resembled, on furtive glance,

a piece of brown! squirrel)---were consistent

with the judgment that mealtime was now

at hand.

And Tommy (without so much as a second,

better look) decided to attack.

(to be continued in Part 3)