Appreciation for the City Squirrel

Think Tank #111

“City Squirrel,” from the blog Traveling Orion.

When you live in the city, it’s rare to have a tranquil moment enjoying nature. The ‘wildlife’ we have access to consists largely of rats and raccoons and roaches. If you go bird-watching in Brooklyn, you’ll see some wrens, hordes of sludge-covered pigeons, and a bluejay or cardinal maybe four days out of the year (which you’ll point and yell about like you’ve just spotted a leprechaun, promptly scaring it away).

In other words, the ‘concrete jungle’ is not exacty idyllic. However, there’s one adorable rodent that has managed to lift New Yorkers’ hearts against all odds.

Yes, you guessed it…

The subway rat.

Remember “pizza rat?” This tenacious little bastard became an Internet sensation! As I said, our access to nature is limited.

Alright, alright. I’m kidding, of course.

I’m talking about this cuddly little guy:

The eastern gray squirrel—a staple of city life. Native to the northeastern United States, these furry-tailed rodents are the lone vestige of all-natural cuteness in the land of smelly sidewalks and designer dogs.

I’ve never really appreciated these things until now, and it’s all because of a moment I had yesterday at the park with John. We were sitting on a bench. John was texting or scrolling through Substack or whatever else he does when he’s on the phone, and I was just zoning out, when all of a sudden, I heard a rustling behind me. It was a squirrel! And the cute little guy was digging a hole to retrieve a pile of acorns.