melissa calls and gives me the good news, that i will in fact see her next month. i ask her if its normal to see a raccoon walking down the road during the day. she assures me that its okay, but only after she asks if its on the sidewalk. he disappears down the neighbor's driveway and i wonder if he's the one i spent some time with last night.

i could tell bear had spotted something from the way he sat in front of the back door and thats when i saw him; a young one, nervous but curious about me and bear. i watched him use those little finger-like toes on the food aang left, until he came up to the glass and regarded me with black, clever eyes. his nose was black and shiny, like a peice of patent leather. with one final look back, he ambled off, down the stairs and into the night.