George

For the past two nights, a possum has visited our house to feast on the cat food I set out for the two strays who have decided to live on our porch. Both nights when I walked out, all three were happily sitting next to each other. And, each night, the possum looked at me (maybe two feet away) and continued eating, glancing up at me every so often. Then, he slowly turned and ambled away. Strange behavior for a possum, and strange for the cats, as well. They must be used to him.... I wonder how long he's been around? He's certainly not afraid of either them or me - something I've never witnessed before.

My first encounter with a possum? Once, when I was a child, my mother, brother and I returned from a shopping trip, and my mother was unable to find her key. As she searched her purse, her eyes met those of a rather large, gray animal. She began pounding furiously on the door, screaming, "“Let me in! There's a rat! A giant rat!" When my father finally opened the door, he laughed. Yes, it was only a possum. None of the three of us had ever seen one.

Since then, she's taken to feeding them (along with the many stray cats) every night. Even after years of feeding, though, they would never stick around if she were anywhere near them. This guy is different. Hopefully, he's smart enough to stay away from most other animals and people. I mean, most humans aren't too happy to see a possum on their porch, and most stray male cats aren't happy to share their food.

I think I'll name him George. Of course, he could be a she, but I've always liked the name George for a girl even more than for a boy.