Yesterday I had a wonderfully girly day with my friend Erika. After brunch at Pastis we made our way back into my neighbourhood to head to our visit at Blo (more on that later). We parked a few blocks away (darn you, Vancouver, and your ridiculous permit system, I shake my fist at you!) and as we were meandering back to Hemlock Street we could see people in groups standing all around the place and hear the most strange and desperate of wails just down the block. As we hesitantly approached we could see a mama raccoon (yes, in broad daylight) trying in vain to get her two frightened babies to cross the road. The babies were loath to cooperate and were hiding under cars and darting back into bushes to hide. Mama Raccoon was crying loudly (easily one of the most heart wrenching sounds I have ever heard), trying again and again to corral her terrified babies to safety and, inevitably, sleep. Everyone was mesmerized, watching this vision of nature in the middle of the city. I was terrified the little family would be confronted with the cars whizzing through the neighbourhood and had dialled 411 to get through to the SPCA when Mama picked up one baby in her mouth and basically shunted the other baby across the street and into a thicket of bushes where, assumedly, their den awaited them. Their cries quickly quietened and the clumps of fascinated bystanders began to dissipate. Erika and I moved on as well, but deeply touched by this sweet familial tableau in an otherwise normal day. To see the sweetness of these beautiful creatures still brings a smile to my face today.
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