Two nights in a row, I was awakened by the shrill voice of my Sophie (at three o'clock, for Pete's sake!). On the first night, I thought it was one of the many feral cats who cruise by our French doors, on their way to where ever it is they go at three o'clock in the freakin' morning. But last night, her voice was so shrill it made me sit straight up in the bed and scream some incoherent something (I was in deep sleep, after all). It woke me instantly, and there, in the window I saw Coyote peering through the glass. The hair on my neck stood straight UP. Sophie was going ballistic. I was so surprised by his face, all I could do was yell, "GET OUT!!!"
Poor Sophie. She dashed straight to the bed, jumped up, and stood there shaking. So did I.
Then...I got curious. I grabbed a robe and my flash light and ran out the door. I scanned the yard to see if he was still here. I ran to the front of the house. No Coyote. I walked all the way around the house, slowly and as quietly as I could. Nothing.
When I finally came back inside, my heart had resumed its usual rhythm and my breathing had softened. Sophie was still on the bed, shaking. I got back in bed, wrapped her in my arms, and stroked her til she settled.
Now, first let me say: I am not normally freaked out by Coyote. We see them often 'round these parts. Primarily because we (as in Humans) have encroached on their territory and frankly, they've got nowhere else to go. Second, there are lots of small critters for them to hunt. Rabbits, rodents, and the ever-growing number of Chihuahuas that, for some unknown (and not very smart) reason, folks who move out to "the country" seem to think will be the perfect dog for their new digs. NOT smart. While Chihuahuas can, indeed, be great hunters of small rodents, they are also the perfect snack for a Coyote. And these same stupid people let their tiny dogs out at night, without supervision, giving Coyote perfect opportunity.
Like I said. NOT smart.
Anywhooo....
I laid there for a long time, seeing that face staring through the window. It was eerie how it just stood there, looking at me, as if it had something to say. Poor guy. I probably freaked him out too. {I can be VERY loud.} So, I laid there, seeing his face, wondering what, exactly, Coyote was trying to tell me. I've been in this house for FIVE YEARS and have never seen one in the yard, let alone at my door.
So why did Coyote show up? And what did he want to say? Was he here to warn me about some trickiness going on in my world that, maybe, I wasn't yet on to? Or did he want me to know that the work I'm currently doing is opening up some things that maybe I'm not quite prepared for? Maybe he just wanted me to know that my efforts have not gone unnoticed. Or that it'd be a good idea to stay alert. Or...
HELLSBELLS! There could be a zillion things Coyote came to say.
One thing is certain, though. Coyote doesn't just show up for no good reason. The fact that he actually peered through the window instead of just strolling by tells me it wasn't just some hungry critter looking for food. Fact is, there are seven chickens just across the yard that I'm pretty sure he could've gotten to, had he wanted. He did not go near that coop. I know. I watched. Wherever he went, he did it in a hurry. And even though I know a Coyote can scale a six foot fence with ease, I also know that the many other dogs surrounding this property would have, at the very least, smelled him. Not a sound to be heard. By any of them.
I still haven't gotten his face out of my head. In some weird way, I kind of want him to return. So that, maybe, I could ask him what he's got for me. Don't know if I've got that much JuJu, but I do know that, sooner or later, we will meet again.
Poor Sophie. She dashed straight to the bed, jumped up, and stood there shaking. So did I.
Then...I got curious. I grabbed a robe and my flash light and ran out the door. I scanned the yard to see if he was still here. I ran to the front of the house. No Coyote. I walked all the way around the house, slowly and as quietly as I could. Nothing.
When I finally came back inside, my heart had resumed its usual rhythm and my breathing had softened. Sophie was still on the bed, shaking. I got back in bed, wrapped her in my arms, and stroked her til she settled.
Now, first let me say: I am not normally freaked out by Coyote. We see them often 'round these parts. Primarily because we (as in Humans) have encroached on their territory and frankly, they've got nowhere else to go. Second, there are lots of small critters for them to hunt. Rabbits, rodents, and the ever-growing number of Chihuahuas that, for some unknown (and not very smart) reason, folks who move out to "the country" seem to think will be the perfect dog for their new digs. NOT smart. While Chihuahuas can, indeed, be great hunters of small rodents, they are also the perfect snack for a Coyote. And these same stupid people let their tiny dogs out at night, without supervision, giving Coyote perfect opportunity.
Like I said. NOT smart.
Anywhooo....
I laid there for a long time, seeing that face staring through the window. It was eerie how it just stood there, looking at me, as if it had something to say. Poor guy. I probably freaked him out too. {I can be VERY loud.} So, I laid there, seeing his face, wondering what, exactly, Coyote was trying to tell me. I've been in this house for FIVE YEARS and have never seen one in the yard, let alone at my door.
So why did Coyote show up? And what did he want to say? Was he here to warn me about some trickiness going on in my world that, maybe, I wasn't yet on to? Or did he want me to know that the work I'm currently doing is opening up some things that maybe I'm not quite prepared for? Maybe he just wanted me to know that my efforts have not gone unnoticed. Or that it'd be a good idea to stay alert. Or...
HELLSBELLS! There could be a zillion things Coyote came to say.
One thing is certain, though. Coyote doesn't just show up for no good reason. The fact that he actually peered through the window instead of just strolling by tells me it wasn't just some hungry critter looking for food. Fact is, there are seven chickens just across the yard that I'm pretty sure he could've gotten to, had he wanted. He did not go near that coop. I know. I watched. Wherever he went, he did it in a hurry. And even though I know a Coyote can scale a six foot fence with ease, I also know that the many other dogs surrounding this property would have, at the very least, smelled him. Not a sound to be heard. By any of them.
I still haven't gotten his face out of my head. In some weird way, I kind of want him to return. So that, maybe, I could ask him what he's got for me. Don't know if I've got that much JuJu, but I do know that, sooner or later, we will meet again.
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