Un hérisson

Un hérisson (distant shot)

I have to begin this story with an image. There is always a good opportunity for a photo to tell the story instead of the storyteller. If the story is boring, at least, you get to see an interesting photo. I hope one or both facts are true in this case.

One day, I was in the garden and right before my eyes was a creature. I had only seen it in books, never in real life. I couldn't quite remember what it was called. I settled on porcupine because it had spikes. I watched the creature slowly walk from one side of our yard to the other. I noticed it was limping. It's leg was wounded, and I thought that maybe it had moved into our yard to seek refuge. Still I was in awe of the little creature that seemed to be kind and gentle (for a wild animal). I took the photos and then respected his privacy. I hoped that we would be friends, and that every now and then I would see him slowly roaming around. There is plenty to eat in our garden and I think life would be agreeable for any animal.

The next days went by fast and I forgot about our new neighbor. On the following Saturday, it was nice out so one of my housemates went to cut the grass. To his surprise he found the creature but not in the way I was hoping. All I remember was Annie, my other housemate, had said "Eric a tué un hérisson!" She was fleeing the scene with a disgusted looked on her face. From then on I realized that my friendship with the"porcupine" would not continue.

A few days after, I was reading a book with a little boy. The book had all kinds of animals and I found the creature. He wasn't a porcupine as I had thought, he was a hedgehog. Poor little hedgehog, he didn't have a chance living with us. I guess there is not safe place. I thought of a name for him, maybe it's my way of mourning. Mike. I would have called him Mike.

La Fin

Un hérisson (close up)