The white squirrel. According to the things I know about nature (both things are wrong, btw) this creature should have been eaten or dead before it achieved such a size. There are many fearsome predators in the country and there is no sympathy for a unique representation as such. And yet it lives, defying feral cats, loose dogs, raptors, and automobiles. A survivor of the first degree, I say. I can now say that I have seen four different colors of squirrel. I am still in hope for purple. Or green. Pink would be cool. Maybe a calico configuration would take care of my squirrel coloring hopes and signal the end of my pseudo quest.
My cat sucks as a model. Just insanely curious about anyone paying attention to her. You pretty much get one chance and if that is missed, go on with your day. The end result is either she showers you with affection and/or bites the hell out of you to let you know that she loves you or has grown tired of you. But she will never be considered dull.
I have become interested in how artists react to people in regards to their art. The squirrel represents someone like Harper Lee. Bright, unique, undoubtedly gifted, but the attention given to them is not really the kind that they want. Though accepted and desired, they will run away at the slightest hint of danger, be it boredom, fear of death, fear of rejection, or somewhere in between. The cat represents the diva in all of us, craving attention until it grows tired of you. Sometimes acting out, but ALWAYS needing to be attended to. The "Worship me and all my awesomeness !" attitude that has somehow permeated all of our lives, either through our own actions or externally from others that subscribe to that feeling. Is one attitude necessarily better than the other, or should there be a happy medium somewhere ?
I have straddled the fence between these extremes for so long that I will need a cup soon.
Humility and graciousness or "Look at MEEEEEE you bastards !"
Either side is a winner. It must be in how you would like to be remembered.
