Squirrels at UCA

A reward for studying at Torreyson library on a Sunday is that, on the walk over, few people are to be seen or heard. (Usually the sidewalks are brimming with bacpacked crowds tromping to class). On Sunday evenings, the campus is quiet of human chatter, and in the open courtyard, squirrels skitter down from the high world in the tree limbs to scamper freely in the turf.

Today, one such squirrel perched himself on a bicycle that had been left chained to the rack. As I passed by, he burst out in an angry chrrrr, and my mind jolted, thinking the force of what must be curses in the squirrel's voice were directed me. But as I turned and followed his gaze, I saw a weathered grey tabbby cat, whose languid yellow eyes stared at the squirrel, following every move as the squirrel leaned forward on its paws. Its tail flagged wildly, picking up the quick violence of its shrill -Chrr!! Chrr! Chrrr! A showdown. Could the cat understand the fast clip of the squirrel's chrr? What did they see in eachother's eyes? The squirrel denounced his shiny seat on the red bike to dash, round and round, up the oak tree behind the bike rack.

Sometimes, I will see pairs of squirrels chasing eachother in loops throughout the courtyard. Their fuzzy legs sink deep into the faded, lawn, the soft, pale gold of a prarie. They chase eachother, curving up the sides of trees or between the posts of the picnic table. Sometimes they almost collide with one another, and spin into wild, acrobatic flips. All part of the fun, at least for me, as I catch myself laughing loudly. The squirrels' use the fast whip of their tails to keep them from falling on their heads. At least at this moment, the squirrel does not see its flickering tail mirrored in the eyes of a cat. Then, out of necessity, it must practice fight -chrr! chrRR! CHRR!- or flight into the oak tree. Why watch the squirrel? The squirrel makes me laugh, because it can do amazing things - spins in the air, scampering swirls up trees, leaps from limb to limb over empty air- things that I regret I can not do. But also, I saw this squirrel look into the hungry eyes of another and Chrrr!!! What language would I use in a similiar situation?