Ice Cream & Yogurt Follow Up

It’s amazing how the prospect of food can alter behavior and perception.

The raccoon scoots away when I open the door to put yogurt in the food bowl. Then she comes back and finishes eating. I’ve been waiting till she shows up to put out the yogurt. If I put it in earlier, it melts and gets runny.

I now realize that's been a tactical error.

Last night, instead of taking off briefly while I put the yogurt into the bowl, things went something like this:

Raccoon: “Oh, yummy yummy yogurt. Gimme, gimme, gimme.”

Me: “Back off so I can come outside.”

Raccoon: “I want to come in where the yummy yogurt is.”

Me: “NO. Stay outside.”

Raccoon: “I want in.”

Me: “What the hell? Quit trying to sneak in when I open the door. You’re supposed to be afraid of me.”

Raccoon: “I know who you are. I’m not afraid.”

Me: “OK – So you want to do this the hard way, huh?”

Raccoon: “What’s with the waving the fireplace poker at me?”

Me: “I’m trying to scare you a little so you’ll back off and let me come outside to the bowl.”

Raccoon: (laughing) “Yeah right tough guy. I know you aren’t going to do anything with that.”

(I finally get the yogurt in the bowl while shooing off the raccoon with my foot)

Raccoon: “Mmmmmmm, yummy yummy yogurt.”

(Later)

Raccoon: “Hey, I still want to come in and look around.”

Me: “Nope.”

Raccoon: “Ha! When you’re gone, I’m gonna chew a hole in the screen door and help myself.”

Me: “You better not.”

Raccoon: (laughing again) “Just wait and see.”

Me: “Dammit.”