Inside The Panny Pt. 1
Sirens, fireworks, squirrels…oh my!
An ever pulsing heartbeat slowing to a lull can always come back to life by jumpstart. But what happens when it fully stops?
This question along with others(which are not pertinent to this series, but we’ll touch on later) looped through my mind without pause. My mind ran rampant in the quiet standstill I would soon come to call, DAY. That was all it was and all it would be; the same day. Upon realizing DAY was here to stay I began reminiscing on one of my favorite movies starring the tremendous, Bill Murray, Groundhog Day. Was this a lesson to learn like, Bill? Was I on a quest to be a better me? No. I was in New York City during a pandemic and the city’s heartbeat had stopped. Peering outside the window during spring in New York is a beautiful sight. The blossoming trees represent new life. Not being able to experience them is torture, however, staying inside to be safe and do my part gave comfort. It was all bearable until — the squirrel.
DAY bedroom workout was halted by a faint tapping on my window. Outside my windowsill a squirrel was bidding for my attention. How cute. For no reason other than boredom I waved, and without hesitation the squirrel waved back. I was in shock. Is this a real life Disney movie? Can he talk? But more importantly…will the squirrel clean the apartment? Any or all of these being true was a much welcomed surprise to the monotony of the current spring I was having. I went over to continue the conversation and the squirrel scampered up the tree. He waved again. I waved back. For a moment he smiled at me, and I felt whole. As fast as he had appeared the squirrel jumped away. The rest of DAY I walked on cloud nine. From the window of my bedroom I had formed an unlikely friendship in the circle of life, and I now saw magic all around. I could get used to this.
When DAY came again I lurked alongside the window for another rendezvous, but not over zealous. After all, I am a realist and this was…a squirrel. The chances of him coming back were fairly slim. Having given up I started to leave my bedroom when I turned one last time to see him sitting in the tree. I waved. He waved back.
“WHAT IS HAPPENING?”
Eagerly, I went to the window smiling at my new unconventional furry friend and waved again. The squirrel lifted the tiny hands he possessed, but this time there was something in them. He threw an acorn at me. It hit the window, and I jumped backward. The squirrel then: pointed at me, hopped from branch to branch, pointed again, and laughed. This was no Disney movie and damn sure not a dream. The illusion was shattered and my newfound furry friend had become a little bastard. I ran to the window, but what was I to do? He knew I was stuck, and he slowly waltzed away branch by branch. Stunned and full of rage I fumed looking at the beautiful branches that swayed outside my window. Had I just been played by a squirrel? No, that was a one time freak occurrence. It had to be. I pinched myself and made a drink.
This continued again and again on DAY. The duel at the window became more heated as the squirrel had gathered friends and I obtained a water gun. My weapon of choice or availability(they stop making super soakers as soon as you need them), was no match for the agile branch jumping squirrels and their acorns. I had a nemesis who was smaller, quicker, in a gang, and outside. I could not catch him. I longed for revenge but was fighting a loosing battle. The animals had reclaimed their territory in the wild and all I had inside the panny was: snacks, drinks, and DAY.
Monotony doubled down with this Godforsaken squirrel was all I thought I was in for. That was until the heartbeat fluttered ever so slightly. Cue the sirens…
