It’s late afternoon, and my squirrel survival skills are in full throttle. I am currently on the hunt for next week’s food stockpile, but leftover pizza crusts can only take me so far. I peer up at the ledge of a bench in front of Sykes Chapel where a girl is snacking on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
A few crumbs drop on the concrete, so I decide to make a run for it to snatch the crumbs before that danged blonde squirrel tries to get them before me. As I scamper toward her, the girl flinches and slowly moves to the other side of the bench.
I will never understand why humans don’t like my kind. We are gentle rodents just looking for some food and sex like everyone else. There is nothing to be afraid of. My next door neighbor Carl sits across the grass near Smiley Hall trying to crack open a nut. I run to him while attempting to dodge all the long human legs.
Carl and I chat for a few minutes as we observe the array of University of Tampa students walking by. If only they would take a few moments to simply notice our existence.
It does not take long before I need a change of scenery so Carl and I head over to the Plant Hall Veranda to bother people while they try to finish writing their essays. A college campus is no life for a squirrel with feelings.
The most treacherous journey, though, is crossing traffic at night on North B Street. Students barrel through the brick road with no thought of killing innocent squirrels. Also, golf carts zoom by and knock me into the gutter.
Despite many people’s depreciation for my squirrel family and me, the University of Tampa is my home and I have grown quite comfortable. Not to mention, the campus is beautiful. I would not want to eat leftover pizza crusts anywhere else.
Natalie Hicks can be reached at natalie.hicks@theminaretonline.com.