Trash Panda

Jessica was awakened by another bump in the night. It was the third time that week, and she sat up to investigate what the ruckus was this time. She had her suspicions, a chubby raccoon who was getting into things in her garden one night. The next night? Same raccoon, different motive. It had found itself away into her trash cans but not a way out. She had no idea what tonight had in store for her, but if her instincts were correct, it was the same little trash panda with an ever expanding waist line.

She turned on the porch light only to see the raccoon corned by an angry stray cat. For some reason, the raccoon didn't even try to fight back, it just shook in fear until Jessica swung open the sliding glass door and scaring the cat off into the darkness. The raccoon sighed in relief, and much to Jessica's dismay, it spoke.

"Oh...thank you," it said, in a small, sort of froggish voice.

"You're we-" she began, but jumped back when realization fully hit her. "Did you just speak to me?"

The raccoon moved closer on all fours, "I Did. I did because you are friend."

Jessica tried to let out a scream, but her shock swallowed her voice whole. She took a few deep breaths to ground herself as the raccoon tilted his head to watch her.

"I am friend!" The raccoon exclaimed, hoping to ease her worries and fears.

Jessica went through the thoughts in her mind and tried to pick one to start with. She loved raccoons! Now one was talking to her though...what was in her nightly tea? Why was a raccoon speaking to her and calling her friend?

"How can you talk?" She managed to squeak out.

"Because you are friend. Friend who help," the chubby little raccoon nodded. He looked around at the plants on her porch and the little garden in front of her house. "Friend who is good."

Jessica found her body wanting to sit, so she went with it, sitting down on the wood porch and staring at the raccoon. "I guess it's just the right thing to do...help, I mean. You needed help and I wasn't just going to let a mean cat fight you, or leave you stuck in a garbage can."

The raccoon clasped his little hands together and moved closer, "Only friend can hear me. I talk to lot of human...not all can hear me, not all are friend. Not all good!"

"Oh, I'm not that good," Jessica sighed. She thought about times in her past, and the judgement and resentment dominated her mind. The little raccoon looked at her curiously.

"If not good...how can hear me?" It wondered, and Jessica couldn't help but crack a little smile.

He sat himself down as if an old friend she had known her whole life. In reality, she couldn't remember a time that she didn't love raccoons, so perhaps raccoons had been there for her whole life.

He said his name was Fergus and he came from far away. Not like Utah far away, or even Madagascar. Fergus came from the stars, as all raccoons apparently do. They protect our planet in many ways, and often eat the things we don't want to help clean up. They watch out for the flowers, and keep track of the trees. He even had a friend who kept a log of all the bees.

Jessica's smile grew as she listened, and Fergus told her that her little garden atrracted many bees and butterlies. He also noticed she always recycled and even looked out for the smallest of bugs on her daily walks. He said sometimes at his hungriest, he survived on a tomato or two from her garden. He also may have taken a cucumber or two. He really liked when she'd leave out a marshmallow for him though, they were his absolute favorite.

Fergus told Jessica that there were many special animals like him, and they were all looked down upon because they weren't particularly clean or cute to everyone. Possums, pigeons, rats & skunks included. They all had special things they did to keep the earth clean. They also only talked to people who helped make the earth a little better than before.

"You always have shelter here," Jessica nodded at her quaint little porch and garden. "I have plenty of marshmallows too."

Fergus held out his little hand and Jessica took it carefully between her thumb and forefinger, and they shook on friendship.

She promised to not tell a soul, but Fergus shrugged. "Only if they hear, can they believe."

Jessica nodded and opened her door, grabbing the bag of marshmallows from the shelf on her coat rack. She handed Fergus two, and he nearly danced in delight.

"Thank you friend," he squealed in delight, heading off into the corner of the porch to savor them. "Will watch out for trash can," he added.

"Good," Jessica nodded before saying her goodnights and heading back to her door in a bit of a daze.

After she slipped back into her house and had a moment to gather herself, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

"Did I just meet the Lorax of raccoons?"