Side Order

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I don't know how they do it. It's a hard life. Lived, much of it, underground, in the storm drains, their masked snouts emerging through the grates in suspicious vigilance; or airborne, slinking for security up a tree.

They're out there on the collapsing side porch every night, poking their inquisitive noses against the fractured pane, not so much asking for a handout as letting it be made clear they won't turn one down. There's a difference, among the night animals. They're tougher than the rest.

Then we see 3 raccoons by the door.
They're wearing visors.
They're exactly Jessica's size.
They're very out front.
It's all I can do to get behind them.

"Then we see...": from Air, 1971

Raccoon (Procyon lotor), closeup: photo by Darkone, 2005
Two Northern Raccoons (Procyon lotor) taking refuge in a tree at night: photo by D. Gordon Robertson, 2006
Raccoon on roof, early morning: photo by Carsten Volkwein, 2007
Raccoons in a tree: photo by Gary J. Wood, 2006
Raccoon (Procyon lotor), kit: photo by Dmytro S., 2007
Raccoon (Procyon lotor), female, washing: photo by D. Gordon Robertson, 2006