Evening star., 1949-05-04
This and That
By Charles Z. TracetpeH

The possum, having escaped the trap set
for him. visited the roof freely night after
night unmolested.
Just perched there. looking around. his
long tail hanging over the edge. Old Man
Possum Possy for short) had a score of
IA to 2, the former for visits. the latter for
absences.
He would leave signs of bis being there,
bits OF food, etc. so that there could be no
mistake.
Occasionally he would be seen. especially
on moonlight nights, just a-perching looking
over the lilacs now in full bloom.
This was suburban life at its best. He
would perch there just as unconcerned as II
he had been bird. with wings ready to
take of.
Malty. the cat, had been caught In the
trap set for Possy.
think UP some new way Of keeping the pos
sum away.
He was beginning to lose his novelty.
II was necessary to be awake between
midnight and am, for one thing to be
sure Of seeing him.
Just why he chose this hour dear to
Shakespeare and nocturnal animals. is
unknown.
Nor could 1t be ascertained where he
failed to reveal him In the tip of the tall
evergreen by which he assembled the roof
Search beneath porches and in trees
nearby gave no clue.
He must have come in from Rock Greek
Park to the east.
If so. why did he stop every night at the
evergreen and mount to the same porch
roof. just in order to perch there for q time,
like bird resting?
There was not much sense in 1t, but. then.
of course. there is not much sense in any
thing. The animals share with their cousins,
human beings, certain futility of action.
The same old round, day after day, the same
search for food, shelter and peace-these
the wild creatures share with us. the scarcely
less wild animals. despite our pretensions,
our books. even our prayer. We go through
the rounds of life and come out at the end
with that same prayer fixed In our hearts,
our eyes still fixed on eternity. That is the
boon we have. that we can still think of the
life beyond. To the animals this is denied
1t is our one true solace.
Old Man Possum on the roof lived even
such life as man. roaming at win, taking
what he could find. making the best Of the
weather as 1t came. Who could be sure that
PoSsy, the opossum. looking out over the
lilacs. was not an artist9 He too. felt the
charm Of the night. In his way. and after
his fashion. He. too. breathed clean, fresh
air and perhaps wondered, In some dull
animal way. over the racket Malty, the cat,
made when he trapped himself instead of
Possy.
Since shootine-and now trapping-was
out of the way. what other scheme could
be tried?
Why not tie some tin cans together and
hang them over one of the lower branches
OF the evergreen
When Possy arrived. he would step up on
the branch. the cans would jiggle. rattle and
clank and he would be scared of. II seemed
simple.
That was the idea, anyway: like so many
ideas tof individuals. nations. combinations
Of nationsl 1t turned out none too good.
For Possy. you see. wasn't frightened In
the least.
Just as midnight struck. when church,
yards yawn and hell itself comes forth" etc.
Possy arrived, too.
This time there was no doubt about 1t.
Clank. clank! went the tin cans.
Old Possy was coming up!
Then n horrible thought
Maybe it was Malty. the cat. againi
But no. Ii was the p0ssum. for there he
was. as SNUG as ever, percned In his usual
place, not too close 10 the roof edge. but
close enough. 80 that his long, naked tail
curied over gracefully.
in place he had selected. bothering no one,
but enjoying himself In his own world In his
own way.
There was nothing 10 do but turn over
and 20 10 sleep. possum Is hard animal
to catch. harder one, evidently. 20 drive
away.