Curtis

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Today’s the day, I just know it! I’ve seen her everyday for a month. Just sitting there staring blankly. I usually don’t like the strong silent type, but something about her makes me crazy! I just gotta find out what makes her tick. I know sometimes I can be a little over bearing. I know that others have called me a chatter box. But I’m just outgoing, I can’t help it. I’ve even run across a few that have tried to ignore me, but to just out and out ignore me every day, day after day...that’s just down right rude! I’ll make her talk to me today! Curtis thought to himself as he made his way to the white framed house on the corner that contained the little garden and the bench he always found her sitting on.

“Hey baby. What’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here all by yourself?” Curtis asked while hopping up on the bench beside her.

She offered no response. Nothing, not even a blink of an eye. She didn’t even stir. She just stared.

“Why don’t you ever say anything? Is it because I’m a squirrel and you don’t do the mixed couple thing?”

Still no response.

“Well look, I can understand that. Some just want to stick with their own kind. I’m cool with that. But just ignoring me day after day...that ain’t right! That’s just down right cold!”

Curtis, getting nowhere, tuckered out from trying so hard, lay down in front of her. I know what I’ll do, I’ll just keep quiet and sit here staring at her! That’ll get to her after a while. Nobody likes to be stared at eye to eye, nose to nose. She’ll have to say something eventually!

But it was no contest. She just wouldn’t move. She refused to give him any acknowledgement. Twitching his tail in a last ditch effort to get her attention, he quickly realized he had caught the attention of the old yellow tabby that was about to pounce on the both of them. He leapt to the Maple tree just to his right and was able to get away without a scratch.

Curtis caught his breath. He knew he was faced with a dilemma. While she certainly hadn’t paid him any mind and he didn’t owe her anything, he still felt like he should check up on her.

Returning to the bench, he saw her laying on the ground still staring. Oh no! What have I done? All because my stupid twitching trying to get her attention. There she lies. It’s all my fault!

Glancing around the yard to make sure the cat was gone, he went to her side.

“Hey! Wait a minute here. You don’t have a tummy! Come to think of it, you’re hair isn’t even soft. It’s hard like an acorn shell.”

Realizing his error, he looked around to make sure that no one had seen him carrying on with a fake.

“Whoa, in the clear!”

He quietly shuffled back to the big oak tree a few houses over, where the others were hanging out. He hopped in to make his appearance as he always does.

“Hey everyone, look who's here!” One squirrel managed to say, before busting out in laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing Curtis. We’re all just wondering if THE bunny has said anything to you yet.”

He knew right then that everyone was fully aware of his error. “Alright, alright. You got me.” He laughed along before spotting a new face in the tree. You just can’t keep him down, Curtis is Curtis. “Hey baby, What’s a pretty little thing like you doing here all by yourself?” Curtis said to the new face in the tree.

“Well...The squirrels in my tree call me a chatter box...But I don’t think I’m a chatter box...I like meeting others...That’s all...I’m just outgoing you see...But I can’t help that...what do you like to do?...Where do you hang out?...Are you always in this tree?...........”

Curtis dreamily stared at the new face in the crowd while she went on with her never ending chatter. Curtis was in love!