KNOCK KNOCK

“Oh, no you don’t!” I cried as I saw the back door wide open and a chipmunk standing at the threshold. “You’re not welcome in here!”

Seeing me he scurried away and dropped down into his burrow that was at the corner of our patio.

“Who left this door open?” I called into the house.

My husband Steven came around the corner of the house carrying a case of water. “I did.” He said as he passed me and headed down to the basement to put the water in the pantry.

I closed the door and followed him downstairs. “A chipmunk almost came in the house.” I said as I watched him stack the water on top of the other cases.

He turned around and headed back up the stairs. “Well, I’m unloading the truck from my Costco run so, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to open and close the door with my arms filled with groceries.”

“I’ll help you unload the truck.” We both walked out the back door and I made sure the door was closed this time.

As we came back I held a few of the light things so I could open the door. Coming around the corner of the house the chipmunk was now standing by the back door.

“Oh, no you don’t!” I cried again and turned around to face Steven. “He’d be in the house right now if I hadn’t closed the door!” I pointed at the chipmunk who had scampered up the steps of our deck.

“Well, he didn’t.” Steven reminded me as he nodded his head towards the door. “Can you open that please? These cases of soup are heavy.”

I opened the door and stood back so he could go in first. “I don’t even know how we’d get a chipmunk out of the house.” I said as I followed him down the stairs. “Didn’t your sister have a chipmunk get in her house a few years back? I think I remember her saying it took days to get him out.”

Steven walked into the pantry and pushed the cases of soup up on a shelf. “I don’t remember.” He shook his head. “But you know what would happen if one got in our house?”

I followed him back up the stairs. “No, what?”

Steven looked back at me and laughed. “Knowing you, you’d probably set up a feeding station in the kitchen for it and give it one of our pillows from the couch for its bed!”

“Maybe not one of our couch pillows.” I corrected him.

Steven opened up the back door. “I think there’s only one more thing to bring in.”

“Okay.” I stepped out of the house and closed the door behind me. “I’ll stay here and open the door for you.”

“Thanks. I’ll be right back.” He went around the side of the house headed for the driveway.

I looked around the back yard watching the birds at the feeders while I was waiting for him. The chipmunk popped his head out of his burrow and looked over at me.

“You are a cutie.” I said to him. “But I don’t care what Steven thinks, I like you better in our yard and not in our house.” I crouched down to get closer to him. “If you stay outside I promise I’ll toss a handful of peanuts out to you later.”

Steven came around the side of the house and heard me talking to the chipmunk. “Have you two come to an understanding?”

I stood up and opened the door for him, looking back at the chipmunk before going into the house. “I’m pretty sure we’ve come to an understanding.”