Sorry Buddy. You're Not Even A Chordate.

  District manager gets a call from someone in some way off town in Blight County saying there is a problem.  He asks who the person is, then asks what he can do for the caller.  She comes in at night to help clean up and she tells District that almost the whole staff has walked out.  He congratulates her on her promotion to manager, then consults his map before heading over.  He finds out that the staff hadn't done any work in months, so he starts rounding up crew to help.  Since I'm only 80 or so miles away, I'm "Real close."  I protested for a while, but after promising  a free meal at the Blight County Dairy Queen I jumped in the car.

  This area is pretty flat, but there is a rocky region where the New Deal decided to put up a dam.  Considering the trickle of water it had to work with, it made a nice lake.  Driving by it on the way back, the contrast between the lush greenery by the water and the bone dry scrub around it couldn't have been greater.

  I've noticed that dams haven't figured much in any discussion about energy policy.  I know there are not many places left to build dams, but if clean energy is really the goal, we should be repairing dams, not celebrating when another gets taken out.  Wind power may be the going thing now, but you can never tell when  "PIG!" 

  There were about a dozen just wandering around the road, completely unafraid.  Had to stop the car because they wouldn't move.  When I rolled down the window to shout at them, a couple came over and looked up, then wandered back and started biting the rear wheels.  That wasn't going to happen, so I drove on through and kept the car at a much slower speed.  A few hundred yards on, there was a crossroads.  Came to a stop, then noticed there was a leaf moving steadily across the intersection, contrary to the wind.  I looked closer, and noticed that the leaf was a crayfish, and it had turned to challenge me.  I rolled the window down again and shouted "Watch out!  There are wild pigs coming this way!"   The crayfish just stood his ground with claws extended.  I was overcome by the sheer moxie of the little creature, so I got out and carefully picked it up.  Looking around for water, I saw the ditch it was heading for, so I walked over carrying my armored adversary.  Man is more than just an animal, I mused.  We alone respond to valor, and my act might enable and there is a little raccoon.  He's smaller than most raccoons and he has a horrible wound along his back.  He's terribly thin, but he seems alert and active.  "Want a crawdad?"  I ask.   Thump Thump Thump  "Here you go little fellow, come and get it"  I say as I toss the stunned crayfish at his little raccoon  hands.