[Magdalen] Cat tale

[Jay Weigel]

Got up this morning and walked into S/O's office to find him laughing. He
pointed out the window and I looked to see one of our Rodent Control
Officers, the big black and white cat we call Deputy, crouched on the bird
bath and glaring up the tree. S/O explained that there had just been a
*very* close encounter between Deputy and a squirrel and that Deputy had
literally chased the squirrel up the tree and then taken the position on
the birdbath to monitor it. On looking more closely, I saw an obviously
agitated *adult* squirrel--not a kit--hiding in the branches on the
opposite side of the tree. Eventually Deputy appeared to become bored and
took a drink from the birdbath, then hopped down and went to the opposite
side of the tree and took up a position there for awhile. After some time,
he sat up, did a quick wash, stretched, and then proceeded to scratch(!) on
the tree trunk a couple of times before sauntering off into the woods. I
don't know whether that was a warning to the squirrel or what. Anyway, once
he was gone, the squirrel, which was a good-sized adult, started creeping
nervously down the trunk of the tree, very twitchy as to head and tail and
stopping to look around every few seconds. S/O cranked the window open a
couple of inches and the squirrel turned around and just about flew back up
the tree. LMBO! I think Deputy has assumed the title we had bestowed on his
now-absent father: Scourge of Squirrels. (We believe that when the People
Around the Corner left suddenly--we think they were evicted--they took
Captain with them. We're pretty sure Captain, which was what we called him,
was Deputy's father. He was a fearless hunter of squirrels and all
rodentiae.)