Woodland creatures

Every day on my walk to class there are literally hundreds (my campus is large) of squirrels milling about. Gray ones, black ones, brown ones. They are little scavengers, hunting around the garbage cans for someone's apple core or left over candy bar. One time I saw a squirrel perched on a post nibbling on an apple core. It was so adorable it looked fake. I had to stop and watch it for a few minutes, because the apple core was literally half it's size and it was perched on this small post. I wish I'd taken a picture.

Today, I swear one was about to walk up to me. Which I would love, except I'm afraid it would bite. I'm afraid anything that isn't human will bite me if it comes near me. I don't think I've ever been bitten, so I don't know where this fear comes from. But aside from that, I want to pet them and feed them and take one home with me. They are so adorable and agile and funny with their little nibbling mouths. They make my walk to class a lot more enjoyable because they are always doing something completely ridiculous. I love when you walk by and they have an acorn or something and they look at you like they're worried you're going to take it from them. I suppose it's a serious fear in the animal kingdom.

I like the brown ones, because there aren't a lot and they don't look like squirrels. I mean they do, with the chubby body and fluffy tail, but the color is all wrong. I guess it's true of the black ones too, but black and gray are similar on the color wheel. Brown is from left field.

I guess I can't ever actually own a squirrel. It would probably lose it's little mind at the thought of being contained, which I understand. But they're just so cute, how can I not want one of my own?