Squirrels from my heart

Eternal sprightly, defying sense of fear, with intense eyes and curved tail, squirrel has crept into my heart since childhood.

I was sitting in Grandmother's arms and stood for hours watching the snowflakes that turned the grandparent village into a dreamlike landscape. The snow slowly covered the house porch. Suddenly, a small reddish mop  slipped through the opened door and went to run in our attic house crossing the blinding whiteness.

I looked surprised to my grandmother’s smile, who told me :

- “Is Veverita - the squirrel and she came to visit us because she know the walnuts keeping place from our attic. Every winter, when is snowing, this “nuts thief" is coming to get some food.”

Grandma gave me some biscuits and nuts and told me:

- “Let her know you”

I have wandered how I will meet a squirrel, but not really understand what she meant, I went behind grandma and I remained electrified, taking care of my moves.

- Do not make sudden moves. Do not scare her!

Grandmother began to whisper softly, knocking one another two nuts. The buzz of walnut shells and the smell of crushed biscuits and nuts let Veverita to descend from attic and to approach somehow fearful to us.

Grandma threw a walnut at the end of the first ladder and waited until the squirrel hurried down and took it. After she ate it, she looked at us questioning if we'll give her more. Grandma threw another nut, this time closer to us.

- You can try now, but move very slowly your hands, said grandmother.

I stretched one biscuit to her and she came with small steps, closer and closer. Then she rushed with speed and took the biscuit with her little front paws, enjoying it with her little mouth.

After a while we became close friends. Each time when I saw her traces on the snow, unknown to anyone, I slipped from my room to feed my "outlaw friend".

Playful lively reddish was running from attic and was climbing in hazel tree near our house, swinging without fear on branches then disappeared throwing from a tree into another.

In the summer, I looked at her jumps between trees and  how climb and descend with a dizzying speed;  in the fall how steals  nuts from the tree and carry them in her nest and in the winter, I saw her traces in snow when she has returned to to take the "bait" from our attic.

Even now when I am wonder aimlessly through the cities parks or forests, I'm looking for my old friend as I did in my childhood. My heart leaps when bushy tails arises in my sight. I know is not her but I like their glittering light from their clever and penetrating eyes, all the time active looking around. 

I adore those furry balls  that filled with tenderness my soul and warmed my heart, don't you?