Dinner at the Dumpster

Tonight I was out walking Millie, our brave female beagle (more on that later). After she did her "business", it was my duty to get rid of her doody at the dumpster.

Now, when we go to the dumpster, there is always a chance that we're not the only ones there. These three little friends, whom our German visitors refer to as waschbar ("wash bear"), are nightly denizens of the dumpster.

Of course, we have other names for them, among them bandits, varmints, Procyon lotor (OK, so I'm showing off) and Millie's favorite term "raccoon boys". Millie loves the raccoon boys, especially when they are running in the opposite direction back into the mangrove swamp. She barks and wants to chase them, safe in the knowledge that her Daddy will not let go of the leash, and will remain a good 20 feet away from the escape path. At fifteen feet of the 16 foot leash, she slows down in anticipation of catching the "3 wire" for an arrested landing - like Eastwood said "a man's got to know his limitations" and that goes for man's best friend too. Millie is certainly mine.

Now, the little guys in the picture are not fully grown, and these three seem to enjoy falling in and being unable to get out. I often have to prop up the lid on the dumpster, and then put a stick in the corner so they can climb out. We're pretty careful - it's perhaps not a coincidence that the word in the dictionary preceding Raccoon is Rabies. Millie and Daddy don't mess with Mama Raccoon, but these juvenile coons are like teenagers, just hanging out down at the Food Giant and seeing what new treats are plastic wrapped for them to explore and enjoy.

In the mornings, when there's plenty of light, I'll often pick up Millie and hold her in the crook of my arm, so she's level with the top of the dumpster. She'll stare at the little guys, and they'll stare back. Sometimes they'll make little raccoon sounds, but Millie (the courageous) won't utter a whimper. After the appropriate stand-off, we'll back off and put Millie on the ground. The bandits will jump from the dumpster onto the board fence surrounding the dumpster, and then scurry down and run out the back side. At this point, Millie has found her voice again, and gives them a hearty beagle bark good-bye.

These are the rituals of the ordinary beagle and her extraordinary Daddy, or is it the other way around?