The first time I looked out my kitchen window and saw one of those little critters sitting by the side of a hole in the ground chewing on I knew not what, I decided I would make it my friend.  Slowly I opened the door and let him/ her know I was watching..  He quickly darted into the hole and although I watched for quite a while, never popped his head above  ground again.  The next day I put a bit of stale bread next to the hole and resumed my place near the window where I could watch the result.  Sure enough, before long up came the little guy and picked up the bread.  Sitting on his little haunches he nibbled away and again I opened the door and waved to him and called out, “Hi there, you are a cutie and I want to talk to you.”  He zipped down that hole so fast he left no doubt in my mind that he didn’t like that idea at all.

The next day I added a bit of meat to the bread and watched as he came up, grabbed it and took it below right away, avoiding the possibility of seeing me again.  Apparently he had decided he would accept my gifts but friendship was a no-no.  I am as stubborn as any little half-pint furry creature so I continued to give food, he continued to grab it and run.  Finally I took out a whole hotdog bun, laid it beside the opening to the hole, lay down on my tummy about a foot away and waited…and waited and waited.  Suddenly a tiny little head rose above the opening and little sparkly eyes looked right at me.  I didn’t move but I did say, very softly,   “Come on up, honey, and visit with me.”   He moved just a tiny bit but did NOT go back down.  He came up a little more but couldn’t quite reach the bun, so he came up still more.  Finally his entire body was up on the grass and I could see him trembling.  I murmured, “I like you.   I promise not to hurt you.  Stay with me.”  He pulled off a bit of bread and zipped down to safety once again.  I waited.  The food must have been pretty tasty because he came up again.  He approached the bun, nibbled awhile then went below.  This went on for some time until most of the bun was either stored below or in his little belly.  This little drama played out daily until finally he sat near me and ate what I had placed on the ground and didn’t scurry away when he heard my voice.  We were making progress.

To my delight one day he brought a friend.  My offering was a leftover ear of corn with plenty of kernels left in place.  The smell of the corn and butter must have reached deep into the hole, thus the addition of a buddy.  they rolled the cob around and tried to get it into the hole but it was too big around, so they sat down next to it and ate their fill.  Every day I left something with lots of aroma to entice them out and every day they came.  Imagine my surprise when I looked out one day and there we re seven of them, probably all his brothers and sisters.  What a joy to see them.   They were all enjoying the treat I had placed there earlier in the  day.  Quickly I got my camera and took their  picture through the opened screen door.  I went out to them and lay down as I always did.  I reached out a tentative finger and rubbed a little belly…no one ran away.  I rubbed some more bellies and they seemed to like it.  As I had no more food at hand they finally tired of me and my belly rubbing and one by one went below.

I fed them for many weeks and they always came up, all of them.  One of the bright spots of my summer was the time I spent with them and the happiness they gave me.  I know that they eventually grew up and as adults would be leery of me.  They never appeared again, but the memory of our brief friendship is brought to life every time I look at their picture.  I really believe that every wild creature, birds and animals, wlll  relate to humans if they are only given the opportunity.