I'm going to start off, before I even get to my story, by saying that I didn't take this picture. I googled it. I procured Glenn's truck to make a quick trip to the grocery store, and before I left I had a quick debate with myself as to whether I should take the camera along, but....I decided that there wasn't a point. Boy, was I wrong...
As mentioned, I headed out for a quick trip to the grocery store. Kroger, to be precise. I had a couple bags of garbage to toss on the way. Here at the condos, we don't have dumpsters scattered here and there. There is a communal garbage dump/compactor near the entrance. (There are several condo developments here that kind of share the same garbage dump.) It is very common to see condo denizens pull up to the big metal structure with bags of refuse plopped on their hood or trunk. We throw ours in the bed of the truck. That being said...
Not too long ago, the condo management folks erected some chain link fencing around the top of the compactor. Before it was open from all sides, but now there is an opening at the top of the wooden stairs for tenants big enough for a full garbage bag. When I first saw it my assumption was that it was becuase of the racoon and cat population. Passing by there early in the morning, I observed on more than one occassion the clean-up people dealing with scattered food containers and the like. Figured it was an attempt to keep the local animal life from dragging garbage out of the garbage.
So...I pull up in the little pull-off by the compactor, turn off the engine and glance over to the wooden stairs before I hop out. A dozen or more sets of eyes are looking back at me. All racoons, but for one black cat. The cat appeared to be their lookout. The racoons ranged from small to medium dog size. Was rather impressive. I got out of the truck and they really didn't move. At least half of them were chewing, so I obviously interrupted a meal. I stood there and shook my keys at them. (Actually, I did debate about whether or not I was going to go up and dump the garbage at all...all of those wild critters were kind of intimidating.) Only a couple casually lumbered down and disappeared around the side. It wasn't until I walked around to the side of the truck closest to them and began grabbing the bags of garbage out of the back that they figured I was going to approach. The cat split, and all but one of the racoons. He held out until I started up the small set of stairs. My over-all experience with racoons is that they're pretty mellow if not cornered. Then they turn into a raging ball of fur and teeth.
So I get up there and lift a bag to toss it through. It was at that moment that I learned that I wasn't alone. A rather tubby racoon was on the inside and to the left of me...maybe six inches away. He made an attempt to squeeze under the fencing (I had seen a couple of others do that), but it appeared that his girth was too much. He just kind of sat there, not looking at me...I could almost hear his internal racoon dialogue. lol I just dumped my garbage, said bye, and left.
So...that was this weeks trip through "Wild Kingdom". Really wish I had the camera with me...
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