Checklist item #23

I was taking Mollie for a walk the other evening in the Virginia Highlands neighbourhood. We approached a house with a bright red door, lots of wind chimes and interesting lawn art...but that's not what caught my attention. There was a small picnic table out front, and atop it was a tupperware container of what looked like dog kibble. The kibble was being examined by a possum. It sat so still I thought it was a sculpture at first, but then it gave us a look with its beady dark eyes. I was pleased to finally see a live possum, as it is on my checklist of Southern Experiences, right between Civil War reenactment and snake handling. As I examined the scene more carefully, I noticed two marmalade cats sitting contentedly in front of the house. They didn't seem bothered by the possum, and it seemed to feel the same. I wonder if they are friends or if they just tolerate one another -- itself a Southern tradition.