It’s all about Bob – and no, it wasn’t Al’s fault

This current situation of having no sports to talk about can be a thing when we get deep into the summer months, but having it happen now, when we are supposed to be covering baseball, softball and tennis, is a new predicament altogether,.

So, we reach a little as to what is actually a sporting event, but in this case, and from the level of excitement and frustration that was in his voice, I could quickly tell that the chain of events that had just occurred inside the Todd Messer house was as close to a “game” as I’ve heard about for a few weeks.

But despite how Todd began the conversation, the entire chain of events wasn’t my fault.

A few months back, while visiting with Janie, Bulldog Coach Todd Messer’s wife, Amanda, was admiring the homemade squirrel feeder that is affixed to a large silver maple tree in the front yard, shown above in the photo with one of our white-nosed red squirrels.

With a gallon jar for shelled corn, you can watch and be entertained, as the Gibson family’s large and obviously well-fed squirrels make their way in and out, grabbing food and sitting on top enjoying their meals.

Janie quickly volunteered me to make Amanda one of the squirrel feeders, and a few weeks later, I did just that, rounded up an empty dill pickle jar and called her up to come get her new squirrel feeder.

A few weeks passed and a couple of conversations back and forth about how her backyard family of squirrels had not yet found the feeder and the stash of corn, and I assured her to just be patient – they would, and as she later reported, they did.

My phone rang late Saturday night and from the excitement and frustration I could hear in his voice, I instantly knew that Coach Messer was about to inform me of something that would be entertaining.

“You won’t believe what has just happened here, and it’s all your fault,” he began as I muted the TV to better learn what I could have possibly been responsible for since I hadn’t left the house in some 30 plus hours.

“That danged squirrel feeder you gave Amanda…” Todd began his tale, going on to explain that while he and Amanda along with daughters, Aubrey and Lexi, were outside enjoying a fire, Amanda happened to notice that one of the family cats – Bob – was making his way into the house with something in his mouth.

A little investigating by the girls and the situation quickly turned into a squealing event when it was discovered that Bob was inside the house now, playing with the squirrel he had captured from the nearby corn feeder.

More screaming from Amanda brings Todd inside to see what the commotion is all about and he and Amanda start trying to catch the squirrel that, by this time, Bob has released and left the scene – too much commotion for a cat for sure.

While Todd keeps the rodent cornered with a broom, Amanda comes back to the scene with a bucket, which apparently wasn’t the weapon that a country boy from Clay County was hoping to be able to use in a battle with a squirrel.

Finally, one of the girls produces a shovel, freaking out both Bob the cat as well as his bud Blackie, who now both exit the house.

More yelling and frustrations and Todd is able to continue to keep the squirrel at bay with the broom handle, while a search begins for the large hunting knife that is somewhere in the house.

Finally, some 30 minutes or so after the ordeal began, Lexi finds the hunting knife and within seconds, the squirrel is dead (I’ll spare you that photo), removed from the house and life is somewhat back to normal for the rest of the weekend.

While it wasn’t a sanctioned event, in this time of no sporting events, I’d score it: Bob – 0, Al – 0, Amanda – 0, Lexi – 0, Aubrey – 0, squirrel – 0, Todd – 1.

I know it sounded like a contest that I would have gladly bought a ticket for.

In the meantime – no sports at all stinks!