We'd only been in our house in Bay View for a few days when I took my first walk to the Lake. I was walking back to our house, coming down Delaware Avenue when suddenly, from a small alleyway between two houses, a fox stepped into view. She/he was beautiful….looked at me for a moment, and continued on her way.
Over the next few years we saw him/her many, many times….sometimes sitting on the sidewalk running alongside Oklahoma Avenue, watching the traffic. Sometimes walking down another alleyway. One summer Sunday afternoon I was reading a book, sitting in a comfortable chair on our back yard patio, when I caught a movement out of the side of my eye. Looking up I saw the fox - she/he'd walked over our back steps and was right in the back yard. Mr./Mrs. Fox stopped, looked at me for a moment...both of us surprised…. but then continued right down the sidewalk through our yard and out to the driveway and was gone.
One time, when our two young grandsons were with us for pizza dinner, I glanced up and saw her/him sitting right on our front patio under the mailbox. By the time I tried to notify the boys….the fox was gone. Another time, leaving for work in the morning, I pulled out of the driveway, headed south toward Oklahoma and hit the brakes….the mom and two kits were crossing Pennsylvania right in front of me. Another glimpse of wild in the city. A nearby street even had a sign posted…."Caution: Fox Crossing"!
It's been at least a year or more since we last saw "our" fox. For some reason he/she is gone. My neighborhood friend told me that since we've begun to spot coyotes in the neighborhood we won't see any more foxes.
I miss her/him….I miss that glimpse of beautiful brown/orange and those alert ears and sharp eyes….I miss the quick connection between unexpected nature and me. I miss my fox.
We had a fox on Pearl for a few years. Know what you mean...so sad when they are gone
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