The Local Wildlife

{why, hello there. is that, by any chance, a cookie you're holding?}

RACCOONS!

When Evelyn came by our apartment to pick up a book she needed to borrow for our Social Psychology class, I came downstairs to find her bouncing around just outside the front door like the floor was on fire.

The first thing I heard as soon as I opened the door was...

"RACCOONS. Sam, you have raccoons in the walkway. Ohmygoshohmygosh."

There was definitely a moment of pause where I just was like, 'whaaa... no way'.

I mean, we all get the UCLA squirrel thing. They're iconic. Adorable with a side of nuts.

Nuts like crazy. Not like 'ooh-acorn!' nuts.

But raccoons? Really? That I'd never heard of in all of my two years here.

My disbelief apparently showed a bit because Evelyn then pointed {"There!There!} and we both stared into the darkness for a few seconds.

No lie, there was somethin' movin' over there.

Ooohmygosh.

The grey-and-black mammal with the bandit's mask that picked its way gingerly, daintily even, through the fence and across the walkway was GINORMOUS.

As were my eyes when I saw it.

By that time, both of us were gibbering, "ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. duuude."

And Eevee planned to walk back to her apartment right through the path of those things?

Oy.

I tried to convince her to let me bring her out the parking garage way so that she didn't have to pass by the eyes in the darkness, but she decided to brave the stares/potential claws to the face and ran down the walkway, yelling, "OHMYGOODNESS-- BYE, SAM! AAAHHH."

I think she made it back safely.

Either that or we'll find her tomorrow morning when we go outside for rides to church...

---

I never knew UCLA had raccoons triple the size of your average Beverly Hills chihuahua.

Now I know that barking squirrels that may or may not jump onto your head from that overhanging branch and obnoxiously drunk frat boys on a Thursday night aren't the only wildlife one needs to look out for around here.

And for all of you pro-raccoon people out there, I don't normally get freaked out by raccoons, nor do I feed them, shoot at them, or try to pet them; I think this time my very mild case of panic was a diffusionary effect from Evelyn's panic.

Who wouldn't be affected by a friend bouncing around like they had to use the bathroom right.that.instant.?