Today was going to be a day I told you a story about my youth.
But, I am not going to do that.
I am going to tell you a story about my youth. Just not the one I had planned.
This morning, while preparing breakfast, I was carrying a dirty skillet to the sink when I saw something on the floor. At first, I thought I had tracked in a leaf. But my lack of depth perception often plays tricks in identifying objects on the floor. The last time I thought I was picking up a dried leaf, it was a very alive scorpion.
With a closer look, it definitely was not a leaf. It was a frog. A frog that appeared to be almost flattened. For a moment, I thought I was reliving one of my disquieting childhood memories.
I may have told you this before, but bear with me.
I have always been fond of frogs. When I was in grade school, there was a green pond frog that lived in our damp basement. I would often find it on the steps when I went down to the freezer.
I have always been fond of frogs. When I was in grade school, there was a green pond frog that lived in our damp basement. I would often find it on the steps when I went down to the freezer.
I invented a game where we would hop down each step together. For me, it was fun. For the frog, I am certain it was nothing more than Jack escaping the giant.
One evening we were hopping along step-by-step when tragedy struck. The frog jumped out of sequence as I was hopping and he landed under my foot just as it hit the ground. I was devastated.
About two months, I found a frog -- a different frog -- attempting to get in the kitchen. But it was foiled by the screen doors.
There must be something in the kitchen that attracts these wily amphibians. My first guess would be food. Frogs are hunters. Cockroaches. Geckos. Ants. The place is a buffet.
Or maybe there is some sense of refuge in the kitchen from our recent increase in snakes.
Whatever attracts the frogs, here was another. I feared I had walked on him as I prepared my meal. But I don't think so. He looked flattened because he was severely dehydrated.
Because I was a child that dealt in frogslaughter, I have become one of their protectors. I grabbed a bowl and filled only the bottom with water -- just enough to immerse the frog's belly while keeping its nose above water. After all, frogs are amphibians, not fish.
He has been in his ranine spa for about two hours and seems to be stabilizing. As dehydrated as he was, I will not be surprised if he does not survive. Only time will tell.
The bowl is resting in the shade of a vine. I am just going to let him rest and watch that his nose stays above water.
If he revives, getting out of the bowl will be easy. He can then go a'courtin' or whatever he was doing when doom befell him.
There must be something in the kitchen that attracts these wily amphibians. My first guess would be food. Frogs are hunters. Cockroaches. Geckos. Ants. The place is a buffet.
Or maybe there is some sense of refuge in the kitchen from our recent increase in snakes.
Whatever attracts the frogs, here was another. I feared I had walked on him as I prepared my meal. But I don't think so. He looked flattened because he was severely dehydrated.
Because I was a child that dealt in frogslaughter, I have become one of their protectors. I grabbed a bowl and filled only the bottom with water -- just enough to immerse the frog's belly while keeping its nose above water. After all, frogs are amphibians, not fish.
He has been in his ranine spa for about two hours and seems to be stabilizing. As dehydrated as he was, I will not be surprised if he does not survive. Only time will tell.
The bowl is resting in the shade of a vine. I am just going to let him rest and watch that his nose stays above water.
If he revives, getting out of the bowl will be easy. He can then go a'courtin' or whatever he was doing when doom befell him.
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