Sunday, February 27, 2011

My odd Lotusphere experience. Attack of the squirrel!

I'm sure most anyone that attends Lotusphere has a story of something odd happening to them.  This year, I had a REALLY odd thing happen to me. No, it wasn't me doing my Bobby Darin at Kimonos. It was the demonic squirrel attack.
I was lucky enough to score a ground level room with a patio at the Dolphin. I loved it because at night, I could go out on the grass under the stars to enjoy a cigar in the warm night air.  At least, warmer then what was up in Ohio.  So on one of the mornings there, I decided to go out on the patio to take in the morning beauty and put my shoes on out there.  As I sat there enjoying the scene of the rising Sun casting it's golden light against the building, I noticed two squirrels chasing each other further up the line of rooms.  But then then started heading right towards me.  At first I thought, they're squirrels.  They are afraid of humans, they will change course. But no.  They were heading right towards me at high speed.  And they were not changing course.  Before I knew it, the lead one shot under my chair and before I could react, the second one slammed right into my ankle.  That sent him spinning out into the bush.  He recovered quickly and came out and just looked at me.  With his cold, dead squirrel eyes.  He was looking at me like I smacked him on purpose.  And he wasn't leaving. I started rattling the other chair next to me to get his attention, and he finally went away.  But for the rest of the week anytime I went out there during the day....he was there.  And giving me the look   So when in Orlando either for business or pleasure, it's not an over-sided mouse you need to be wary of.  It's the little gray rodents that you need to keep an eye on.  I'm sure, in time, I'll have a breakthrough in therapy over this.  But for now, I will never look at them the same way again.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep, and they're in league with the rabbits over at Yacht Club. I woke up Tuesday morning, looked out of my ground floor window and saw...three rabbits. Doing nothing, save watching me.

The coming rodent war will be...a tough nut to crack.

Susan Bulloch said...

Um - Andy - what was in that 'cigar' you were smoking? Attack squirrels staring at you? RIIIGGGHHHHT.

Andy Donaldson said...

Susan, trust me. I left the hallucinogenic drugs at home this Lotusphere. Perhaps next year I will bring them to feed to the rodents :-)

Don McNally said...

Sounds like a story for Tim Bedore's Animal Conspiracy.

Mike A. said...

I've observed squirrels in my yard for many years and can attest that, although normally wary of humans, they'll completely throw caution to the wind at times. Usually this happens when they get all wrapped up in their own important squirrelish social events -- things like territorial skirmishes with other squirrels, mating chases, etc. I've had them race under my lawn chair, and after emerging out the other side, pause and stare back at me like they're saying, "Wow, that's the guy who doesn't like me climbing on his birdfeeders. Did I just tempt fate or WHAT???"

Anonymous said...

As a person that's grown up in the country out in the woods, I can also attest that these critters will sometimes have sudden bouts of 'bravery' or stupidity, really depends on the outcome. Often enough I've had angry squirrels literally throw nuts at me as I was in their territory. Little bastards are feisty that's for sure. Lol. Just be happy that they didn't run up your leg. Their little teeth hurt.