In between the months of September and October, a great storm brewed and threw the winds into a game of tug-a-war. The rain was harsh, cold, and quite unending. I had only been at Delta State for a few weeks and was enjoying the storm, even as I walked to the Union for my lunch. I had learned early on that the door from the post office was great for avoiding all interaction with people, so that is how I entered most days. 

That day I came in and ordered some ChicFaLa before eating leisurely at a table near the post office door. Once I had finished, I picked up some mail that had been sent to me and left out of the side door that I had come in through. 

I had just come to the bottom of the stairs when I discovered something peculiar: a baby squirrel. It was very small, rolled up as tight as it could against the wind and rain, laying on the ground.

I stood there, thinking. What should I do? Is the mother around somewhere? Do I just leave it to die? 

While I stood there in uncertainty, the rain began to fall again much harder than before. It was then that I decided that I could not just leave it there. I placed my box of mail down on the ground and got closer to the little creature on the ground. I could hear it whimpering in fear and pain from the fall from the tree and the cold of the weather. In an impulsive move, I grabbed the little baby and stuck it in my rain jacket pocket. 

However, I was now struck with the unknown. What does one do for a baby squirrel? Do I raise it in my dorm? I was sure that there are some Youtube videos that could teach me how to help the little thing. This only seemed to further my anxiety, so I kept thinking of ideas. 

Then, I remembered the police station. They could help! With a destination set, I began to push through the wind and rain across the street to the campus police. The quest was treacherous as the rain began to fall even harder than before. I don’t even know why I wore a rain jacket when the wind made sure I was soaking wet anyway. 

Once at the station, I had more doubt that they would help. I stood outside for another couple of minutes. Someone held the door open for me and I slipped in. There was only one lady in the station, and I went to her. 

She asked me how she could help me and I asked, “If I said I had a baby squirrel in my pocket, what would you say?” 

She told me that I was a savage and then proceeded to help me through the process of finding a vet that could help the baby. As the police station would probably just make me put it back to die. She got him set up in a box with an old DSU polo. I left my mail on her desk so I could carry the box and then ran back to my dorm to get in my car. 

There was nothing exciting about the car ride or about dropping the baby off. I took some pictures of it to remember it by. I’m not sure if it survived, but I like to believe that the baby I saved is out there living its best squirrel life.