The black shape moving in the dark of the laundry room has now been confirmed to be a possum. It’s a new possum. Smaller, younger, healthier, and far, far more cute than the last possum resident. Ugh. Another damn possum in my laundry room.
Uncharacteristically, I started doing laundry earlier this evening, instead of waiting until o-dark-thirty Sunday night. The dryer buzzed to let me know the first load was done and ready for folding. I opened the door, and gasped. There, sticking many inches into the room from under the outer door was a big, fat, gray tail. It unmistakably belonged to a possum, who upon hearing my startled gasp, turned around and gave me a glare with his beady little eyes. I very quietly closed the door and informed Lin I could now verify we did indeed have a new possum.
“Is this something I need to get involved with?”
“No.”
“Maybe we should put out poison.”
“No. I am opposed. No poisons.”
“What are you going to do?”
“For the moment, I’ll be finishing the laundry and living with it.”
I wouldn’t really care about the possum, having gotten used to sharing my existence with one when that old cranky monster moved into the laundry room. They are beneficial. They eat snails, slugs, rats, and mice, and I suspect the reason we had no clue Austin was having a huge rat problem (guy at the feed store couldn’t believe we hadn’t seen as single rat yet) is because we have always had a possum (or two). But … my garden! I do not want this critter thinking my efforts are an all-night diner!
Apparently, they don’t like the smell of ammonia (who does) and blinking Xmas lights turn them off too … as does disturbing their daily routine. I will be going into action mode tomorrow after gathering my tools of war. The laundry room may be unbearable to be in for all living creatures for a while, what with the stench of ammonia and flashing lights everywhere, but I will be disturbing this critter’s peaceful existence under my den. Oh yes, someone is going to get disturbed!
I swear I deal with more critters living here in the city than I ever did when I lived in more rural locals. It’s crazy!
And I will admit this one is sort of cute. Not cute enough to allow him/her to stay, but cute. Really cute. Wish we could let him stay, but we really can’t.