“Kinky! It’s Nance, you need to wake up! It’s nearly seven o’clock!” I hollered, from the dark kitchen. “You only have thirty minutes...”
“I’m up, Nance. Give me a minute.”
I flipped on the kitchen light and then made some coffee for us, because neither Kinky or I have learned how to make expresso or cappuccino with our new, fancy coffee machines. We drank a quick cup of coffee together, before it was time for the telephone interview. As I was going out the door to leave the Lodge, Kinky said, “Are you still going to bring me the Eternal Squirrel today?”
“I’ll bring it over after the interview. Bye.”
Anyone who has read my book, already knows about my semi-famous Eternal Squirrel, which resides right out front of my front yard. Here’s a capsule version to the story: Years ago, when Yoda, my Boston Terrier, the love of my life died— Tony buried her right next to the front yard fence, but wild hogs came in, two nights in a row, and they tried to dig her up! So, Tony and Ben built a heart-shaped slab for Yoda and me, and just before the cement had hardened, I grabbed this solar lighted, amber colored squirrel, that I had been saving for a birthday present, and then asked them to please bolt the plastic squirrel to the slab—and they did. At dusk that evening, when the little squirrel lit up for the very first time—it made me tear up, and that’s when I officially named it—The Eternal Squirrel.
Okay, back to today’s story. After Kinky’s interview was over, I went back over to the Lodge with my boxed, backup Eternal Squirrel. I keep backups because they only last for about a year or so. Ben was over there, and he put the solar parts inside the squirrel and we took it outside so it could start charging. Needing to get back over to the rescue ranch, Ben and I promised Kinky that today, after work—we would come back over, and Ben would set it up properly for Kinky’s pet cemetery, which resides just outside Kinky’s back door, where he has buried his cat, Lady Argyle, Tom’s faithful dog, Sam and where Fly Friedman now rests.
Kinky has put a lot of work into his pet cemetery, since Fly died. A few weeks ago, he purchased plants and planted them over their graves and made rock circles to mark each grave properly, before planting Chamillas on Lady’s grave site, Gardinas on top of Sam’s space, and Roses for Ms. Fly.
A few days later, Kinky hung a beautiful wind chime above their graves, attached with a painted feather, that his friend, Billy Joe Shaver had given to him long ago. Then a couple of days ago, Kinky decided to take his most favorite Buddha, that had been sitting in his office for years, and he placed it on a tree stump near their graves. And, yesterday when Kinky took me outside to see his newly created perpetual garden for pets—I was shocked, because it had become a shrine and it was absolutely beautiful! I then suggested that he add an Eternal Squirrel to it, and then offered to give him one of my backups.
This afternoon, Tony, Kinky and I ate lunch together. “I have decided to name the cemetery—The Friedman Family Bone Orchard!” Kinky declared—which caused me to choke.
“That’s a great name,” I said. “And, it is really beautiful, and I’m glad that their graves are now marked.”
“When I die, I want to be buried their, too,” Kinky said, in a very serious tone. “But, if I can’t—I want to be cremated, and have my ashes scattered in Rick Perry’s hair!”
We all broke out laughing!
Around five o’clock today, Mountain Man Ben (Ben’s nickname for our pool games) and I returned to the Lodge, so Ben could secure The Eternal Squirrel # 2 and the Buddha to the tree stump. And, I brought along my camera! Enjoy!
P.S. Please note: the first picture is my Eternal Squirrel. And, I apoligize if I have misspelled the plants, because I don’t have a green thumb.
P.S.S. I just phoned Kinky, and Eternal Squirrel # 2 has just lit up, and so has mine!
