Squirrel Drama

If you read my last article than you know that I've been doing my very best to help Ms. Perfect Patches the magical squirrel recover from some kind of mange/ mites skin condition. And thankfully she does appear to be getting better! Hurray!

Then this happens...

Dear Neighbor,

My Brother (and Sister), I am not at war with you. I am sorry that the squirrels have been a problem for you. I never intended to create disharmony between us. I stopped feeding the squirrels on my balcony months ago in order to remedy the situation.

Recently you admitted to me that you’ve been shooting squirrels on your balcony with a bb gun (pellet gun). And just a few days ago you told me that you had to shoot another male squirrel this week who limped away in pain.

Now I don’t know if you are actually doing this or just trying to upset me- but either way, I do not feel good about any of this.

The article I left at your door was to make you aware of how injured squirrels suffer and slowly die from being shot- which is inhumane. Yes, killing them is more humane. I wish neither scenario would occur- but I cannot control what you choose to do in your home or on your own balcony.

I don’t know if you believe in karma, but just know that I’m trying to be helpful here. I believe that purposely causing animals to suffer is not good karma. I cannot rightfully judge your actions. I leave that to the most high. All I can do is try my best to make things right. I hope you understand that I’m trying to create peace between us. I am trying to mitigate conflict.

But I do not feel comfortable remaining silent while you continue telling me that you’re shooting and injuring squirrels. Like I said, I stopped feeding the squirrels on my balcony months ago. I have not seen a single squirrel on my balcony in months. I also do not have any plants that would attract them.

I would like to suggest that you protect your plants with metal wire as stated in the article that I left you. I am trying to be helpful. I hope I am being helpful and not causing you any more grief or distress with this communication. I am just trying to create peace and harmony between all of us… You, me and the squirrels!

I do hope this can all get resolved quickly so we can move on with our lives in peace.

-Your neighbor and sister

Sometime earlier in September 2022: I drive into the parking garage at my apartment complex and park in my parking spot. I stay in the car for a little while talking to my mom. I was opening the door every so often to get air since it was a very hot day and I had turned off the car. Finally as I'm getting out of the car, my neighbor (who lives under me), simultaneously walks right next to the passenger side of my car. The timing was a bit creepy and stalkerish. He engages me in conversation and starts admitting to me that he was shooting the squirrels on his balcony a while back with a bb gun... But not stating that he has continued doing this. Perhaps he was trying to give me a warning not to feed the squirrels on my balcony otherwise they would get injured by him? FYI I had stopped feeding the squirrels on my balcony months earlier. Monday September 12th, 2022: I post a message on facebook letting all of the tenants at my building know that I am helping medicate a sick squirrel named "Patches" and that I was preparing to give her her first dose of medication.

Tuesday September 13th, 2022 morning approx. 9:15am: My neighbor approaches me outside of the parking garage by the grass where I had just given medication to my squirrel "Ms. Perfect Patches". I tell my neighbor about Patches. I shouldn't have said anything about the squirrels but I was trying to engage in polite conversation. So then my neighbor admits to me that he is still shooting squirrels on his balcony. He admits that he just shot a big boy the other day, he flopped around and then limped away. I asked him if there's another more humane way that he could handle the situation. My neighbor didn't seem to think so. Wednesday September 14th, 2022: I left an article at my neighbor's front door. The topic was asking if shooting squirrels was legal. I highlighted sentences that explained that shooting squirrels with a bb gun can leave them injured. They could slowly suffer and die from injuries which would be inhumane. I also highlighted a sentence that explained to cover plants with wire mesh to protect them from squirrels who may try to eat the plants. Thursday September 15th, 2002: My neighbor left the same article at my door with new highlights and typed words stating something like "lol Thanks! Now I know that's it's legal to shoot and kill the squirrels." He corrected me and said he was using a pellet gun, not a bb gun. And then he said something like,"He wouldn't have to kill the squirrels if I didn't keep feeding them nuts on my balcony." This same day, around the same time that I received the letter at my door, a neighbor reports on facebook that he found a large sick male squirrel lying down by the pool unable to move. The neighbor picked him up and placed him in the shade and gave him water to drink. That's a strange and timely coincidence! My neighbor has been complaining about a big male squirrel visiting him on his balcony. Now a big male squirrel is found paralyzed unable to move!

Friday September 16th, 2022: I left my last letter at the neighbors door stating that I'm not at war with him, and that I haven't fed the squirrels on my balcony in months... I'm just trying to be helpful and make peace, etc. Sunday September 18th, 2002: I spoke with J** who works in the leasing office (after leaving all documents and evidence at the office on Thursday and Friday). J** tells me that he will speak with my neighbor about the issue.

Monday September 19th, 2022: I park in my parking spot #*** at my apartment complex at around 8:45/ 8:50am. I step out of my car and start walking towards the grassy area where the squirrels hang out. My neighbor parks in spot *** (not his parking space) 2 spaces away from me and jumps out of his car making squirrel noises and laughing to get me to turn around. He walks over to me very fast saying something like "Hold up, I want to talk to you for a moment." He says he's not at war with me. He mentions that he could've complained to the office about me feeding the squirrels on my balcony a long time ago but he never did that. He just talked to Darius my roommate and asked him to ask me to stop feeding the squirrels (which I did). He was basically letting me know that he knows that I complained about him to the leasing office. Then he tells me that he's still shooting the squirrels. This time when I mention covering his plants with wire mesh, he says he shooting them out of self defense because they come up to him and his wife when they are resting on their hammock on the balcony. He is now saying that he is concerned for his safety. This is a new excuse for shooting the squirrels which I haven't heard before. He finally says that he doesn't have a problem with me and he hopes I don't have a problem with him. I don't say anything and just walk away. I head over to the leasing office to tell J** and everyone else that works there what just happened. No one cares. J** asks me if I'm trying to ruin his day. I tell him I'm sorry. That I'm not trying to ruin his day... but my day is apparently ruined. J** and the building manager tell me that they can't do anything about the situation. I mention how my neighbor appears to be stalking me. They tell me I can file a report with the police. I go back and take a picture of the car and license plate # parked at spot #***... Two spots next to where I'm parked. I take the photo back to the leasing office. J** admits that the license plate is my neighbor's car and that he is parked in the wrong spot. The people who were parking in spot #*** had just moved out. J** says it must be a coincidence. I say something like "Sure, it's a coincidence" (sarcastically) and leave the office.... I go back to see if the neighbor's car is still parked at spot #***. It is now gone!

So I emailed J** the whole description of everything that had happened thus far with the neighbor. I wrote J** and told him this: "Hey Joe,

I'm sorry if I ruined your day. This is the last you will hear from me about this situation. I've written up a description of everything that has happened so far... if it even matters? You can just keep this for your records. Apparently nothing can be done except file a police report which I'm sure would just make matters worse. I wouldn't want to start finding dead squirrels all around L** ***** V*****. I think it may be best that you don't mention this to anyone (including the neighbor) and I won't be bothering you about any of this anymore. FYI I may start parking by the ****** ****** sometimes to avoid harassment. So if you see my car parked next to the ****** you know why. Thanks for all your help.

Jennie"

So J** responds and says "Hi Jennie,

Thanks for this. I'll keep it. You didn't actually ruin my whole day; I just find it as upsetting as you do to hear these things. I know it's easy for us to say to just ignore him, but if he is the one going up to you, then you can't really ignore him. I'm sorry this is all coming down on you. If you don't feed the squirrels from your balcony, at some point, they will learn not to go near his balcony too. I don't want you getting sick over this. This too will pass.

Thanks,

Joe"

After this incident I decided to change my schedule around for the day. I didn't come home to eat breakfast/ lunch at my usual time. I got home a few hours later and parked my car in a different location that the leasing office once told me I can park in if someone had accidentally taken my spot. Well, around 5:30/ 6pm I went to retrieve my car and re-park it in my parking spot and I couldn't believe what I saw. I did a double take. The stalking neighbor had parked his car right by my car! After this happened I ran into J** outside. He was feeding the squirrels on the grass. I told him that the neighbor parked right by me again and once again he told me that it must be a coincidence! Crazy right?

In summary... This situation has been a bit unnerving but the fact of the matter is that someone has to stand up for what's right! So everyday now I pray for the safety of the squirrels at my apartment complex!

I really hope this is NOT to be continued...

UPDATE Friday September 23, 2022: RESOLUTION! On Thursday September 22nd I sent this email:

Hey J**,

Hope your day is going well. I just wanted to let you know that Ms. Perfect Patches is doing great. I saw her on Tuesday and her skin pigment is grey again and her fur appears to be growing back in. I almost didn't recognize her!

As for the situation with the neighbor, D***** aka X***** (my roommate) had a talk with him the other day and everything is now resolved. Between you and I, someone in that office told the neighbor that I was complaining about him, added fuel to the fire and made things worse. That's why Monday happened the way it did! We know it wasn't you, J*** or J****. This stays between us! I made a big mistake by expressing my concerns out loud to everyone present in the office. I will never ever do that again. Next time if I have a problem I will just email you. I know I can trust you to keep things peaceful and diplomatic.

Thanks J**,

Jennie

* FYI My neighbor told my roommate that he never shot any squirrels on his balcony with a pellet gun. Supposedly he was just joking with me the entire time! What a terrible joke! Let's hope what the neighbor is saying is true!

Jennie H is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!