It Was Him Or Me….

I was on a bike ride.

Early morning.

Beautiful morning.

Oh my God what a beautiful morning.

I approached the bridge,

I had to take a sharp, very sharp, left

To get on the bridge.

The bridge is not wide enough for two of us.

One, only one.

I took the sharp turn.

Anything larger I would have seen as I approached,

And I would have patiently waited my turn.

But he was too small.

I turned on to the bridge,

All of two and half feet wide

Just wide enough for the handlebars.

And there he was.

On all fours.

I don’t know who was more shocked.

Him.

Or me.

I came to a complete stop.

I grabbed the rail of the bridge so I didn’t have to put my feet down.

He hissed.

He bared his teeth.

Neither of us could move forward without one of us being run over.

Or bitten.

I thought I was more scared of him

But he must have been more scared of me.

Without any warning

He took a flying jump

Off of the side of the bridge.

Death defying actually.

I mean

No holding back.

He jumped.

Hit the bushes and disappeared.

Scared the shit out of me

That damn little squirrel.