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| Raccoons on the rampage |
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| Written by Ron Swift / Fast Talk | |
| Saturday, 17 May 2008 | |
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Jonathan Partridge’s recent report in this newspaper (and Pattersonite Frank Ponce’s great photo, above) about raccoons on the rampage in residential Patterson has brought forth word of additional sightings.  Lynn Tiago, who, like Ponce and Delwyn and Madeline Silveira, lives on the city’s south side, has seen the nocturnal animals in her backyard. One eats her cat food and either bathes or swims in her pool, leaving a large wet spot on the concrete. Lynn ran across an animal control officer in her neighborhood and asked him if he was looking for the raccoon. No, he told her. Raccoons weren’t his bag; she would have to contact someone else. And in north Patterson, Virginia Usadel recently spotted what appeared to be a raccoon trotting across the grounds of Northmead Elementary School. Wade Bingham, a North Fourth Street resident, had an entire family of raccoons in his alley a couple of years ago. Mom, dad and the kids. They reportedly ran around on his roof. And, not to be outdone, a raccoon showed up at our house about a month ago. The dry cat food in a pan on the back patio was licked clean, and bricks were moved to get at the spilled food. We suspected a raccoon and heard him, but did not see him. Then, early this week tracks appeared in a front yard flower bed. Obviously a raccoon. That’s reminiscent of the fox (maybe more than one) who lived in the area of North Sixth Street in the early 1980s. He played with cats, ate pet food when available, bathed in a swimming pool, was at least once spotted in the downtown area and was photographed on numerous occasions, including by this scribe. Interestingly, the first photo taken was on Usadel’s property. Local resident Mimi Draper even won an Irrigator-sponsored contest and named him Foxy Loxy. F-L was around for several years and at one time was reported to have been hit by a vehicle on Highway 33. However, when the driver turned around in the next block, the fox had gotten up and sprinted to safety. Does anyone favor a Name the Raccoon contest? (Several names may be needed.) A MESSAGE? Katrina, and now tornadoes, a hurricane devastating Burma, a massive killer earthquake in China, global warming that could impair our planet, our economy in a spiral, housing foreclosures galore, and an environmental disaster waiting in the wings — West Park with its projected train yard, 141,000 vehicle trips a day by the announced 37,000 on-site employees, and the necessary truck and train traffic. Is someone sending us a message? The above kinda makes cell phones going off in the Ric Camparo concert last weekend seem rather minor, now doesn’t it. RECORDED CALLS Is it my imagination, or are we experiencing an increase in recorded phone calls coming our way throughout each day and evening? BACK TO YOUR SMARTS It’s time again to add to your knowledge. Here goes. Your big toes have two bones each, while the remaining four have three apiece. Quick, how many toe bones do you have in your feet? (The correct answer is 28, unless at one time you were careless with your toes.) A full bladder is roughly the size of a softball. (Why does it sometimes feel larger?) It takes food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach. (Unless, of course, you are eating upside down.) The body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil. (Let’s not let Al Gore and other global warmers in on this secret.) FROM THE MAILBAG Mr. Windbag: You write about young people not wearing bike helmets. What about you ol’ Geezers? — Miffed Dear Young Sprout: Thank you for addressing me as Mister. However, I would prefer being called a Codger rather than ol’ Geezer. But you have a good point. I took the question up with my favorite cyclist extraordinaire, Robert “Spokie Bob” Kimball. You see, Spokie has experienced bruises, scrapes, cuts and probably a stitch or two, and has the scars to prove it. But none of the above on his head, for he always wears a helmet and believes strongly in them. I tell him he ought to get a new bike, maybe one with three wheels or even four, ’cause his present bucket of bolts is a hazard on the road. It sometimes throws him off. Now don’t be a lump-head. Use a helmet, and not one hanging over the handlebars. FOR THE SPORTS FAN Watching the NBA playoffs leads to this question: When did they change the rule on palming the ball? AND FINALLY … Maybe you read this in the daily press. Studies reportedly suggest that frequent cell phone use, including carrying your cell on your belt or in your pocket, could affect male fertility. I thought so. And while some of us needn’t worry about this possibility, others might. Ron Swift is editor/publisher emeritus of the Patterson Irrigator. His column appears weekly in this space.
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