Weasel Pusher-Digital Collage 4" x 6"

"How many times have I told you! You should never accept a rodent from a stranger!" My mother was furious with me. "What is this thing anyway?" I cradled the creature as it squirmed in my grasp."I think it's a weasel or a ferret?" Mom turned away in disgust. "Didn't you have enough common sense to ask?" I had no reply. I thought it was cute and for me being just ten years old that was reason enough. "And this man just walked onto the playground and asked, 'Who wants to buy a rodent?'" I nodded."He wasn't a man though. He was a teenager." My mother grabbed my arm and brought her face close to mine. "You know better. We never ever speak to strangers, even if they are teenagers." The animal bared its teeth and my mother recoiled. "Sorry, Mom" I muttered."Can't I keep it. Just for today?" My mother pointed to the kitchen door. "I want it out now!" I pleaded, "But Mom!" She walked over to the door and opened it. "Out! Now!" I lowered it to the ground and it shot off across our driveway and into the hedge separating our yard from the neighbor's. I kneeled there crying and raised a hand to wipe away my tears. Mom grabbed me by the arm again. "Do not rub your eyes after holding that filthy thing. Do you want to get a disease?" She led me back into the kitchen and over to the sink. After watching me wash my hands, she sent me off to take a shower. "You probably have fleas." she called after me.

She insisted I come home right after school all that next week. She called the police department to ask them to look out for the weasel pusher, but he was never found. Years later I told this story to someone at college who told me that she too had bought a rodent from someone wearing a blue shirt. However, in her case the young man was hawking muskrats. What are the odds?