Nutria

There are a small yet thriving community of nutria rats at the Nike World Campus where I work. Dividing North Campus from South Campus, flows (not unlike a menstration cycle) a destiguishable, stagnant stream as a boarder between the two spacial areas. Two foot bridges provide ample oportunity to skan for sightings. Oh the excitement when I see a brown furry rodent gnawing on a stick mid-stream! I have caught one taking an afternoon saunter across the soccer field without a care in the world. What a lucky boy I am!

One day begrudgingly typing on my computer while florecent light soaks me motionless like a tanning bed, I hear Robert's clearly excited voice over the radio, "Two nutria sightings from the Nolan Ryan bridge!" My heart skips a beat! It's been over a week since anyone has even heard a rumor of a sighting and I was starting to wonder if the endangered species list was becoming inevitable. Within the hour I found my feet thumping across the wooden ties of the same bridge wondering if fate would toss me nutria, or just common malard. On my right side, mid "flow" swam the best nutria i will ever see. His (or her) fur was clumped in that funny way that becomes beaver or muskrat when wet; just like an anime character the hair comes together in a fashion of spikes that are half cute and half hairy grossness. I just love'em! My day had been completed.

I can't wait till I see my friend again!