Friday, September 20, 2024

A small service for a chipmunk

 Barry Lopez made it a practice to remove animals killed by cars off the road. I read about his practice a month ago.

While walking the dog through the neighborhood the other day, I came across a chipmunk that had been killed by a car. I stopped and put the little body in a vacant lot — vacant so long that it had become woods again. The big dog, whose body language is often expressive, did not comment, and we went on with our walk.

Books are fascinating, and many people study them. One of the real mysteries is how a few can change your life, sometimes in small, barely noticeable ways.

• Source: Barry Lopez, About This Life; New York: Vintage Books, 1998. “Apologia” is on pp. 113-18. For my original note on his essay, see “Lopez: ‘Apologia,’” Aug. 31, 2024.

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