What Was That?

Driving to work after a morning dentist appointment, through a northshore suburb of Chicago, I tapped the brakes quickly when a flash of orange pranced across the street and into a snowbank.

A fox.

I know why they call it the fox trot, that little thing leapt across the street in two quick and nimble bounds.

I'd seen deer nibbling the tree branches in this neighborhood before, but never a fox.

It was like my busy day of here-to-there and appointments suddenly stopped in wonder.And it definitely beat the day, driving to work in suburban Philadelphia, when I couldn't get a wild turkey out of the way. It was just standing in the middle of the street, staring at me and not at all getting the subtle point I was trying to make by inching my car closer and closer and honking gently.

(Top picture is from the terrific book, Animal House by Catherine Ledner.)