2 down

 I caught another ground squirrel today

    It was a little fella.  I think.  Very pretty.  Also very chatty as I drove him to his new neighborhood.

    He told me he was the youngest of 8, his older brother disappeared yesterday, mom was eaten by a hawk and his other brothers and sisters were really enjoying the bird seed I leave out for them.

    As he ran off into the new neighborhood, I swear he paused and raised a middle finger on his right hind foot.  I hope he finds his brother.  They were both released in the same area.  Hopefully that eases the shock.

    Took Corki for a walk tonight and met a guy sealcoating a driveway.  He said, "Hello Mr. Dickow.  Remember me?"

    He looked familiar, but I could not put a name to the face.

    He gave me a hint.  "I was the biggest pain in the ass you ever had."

    Of course I knew who he was, but the name still escaped me.  I asked if his sister still worked at Walmart and some general questions.

    Finally he told me his name.  I could have fallen over!  He was the biggest pain in the ass I ever had in class, but he was also a kid who went through a terrible childhood.

    So, now he works at a factory full time and on weekends he is sealcoating driveways.  He plans to expand from the one unit he has to two next year.  Looking to the future, he said one of the big driveway sealer guys in the area is nearing retirement and he wants to take on his customers.

    He has been doing this for several months and has not taken any pay for himself for the sealcoating work...everything goes into paying for equipment and supplies and help.  He lives on his factory salary.

    Jackie and I hurt for this kid at Tilton and later when we read about his numerous arrests for marijuana.  

    But he seems to have turned his life around and is trying hard to be successful.  

    I told him I was truly happy to hear how well he was doing, and Jackie would be also.  She was.

    He didn't want to shake my hand because it had sealcoat stuff on it, but I told him I would be proud to shake his hand, no matter how dirty it was.

    Encounters like that always make me happy.

Peace and Love