SKUNK WATCH _ _ 23 Jun 2023 /,Y,\_/\/\ ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~/_--.-V-v-/~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ I saw a skunk today, while I was out walking under starlight and moonlight and streetlight; it was surprised to see me, I think, since it came right up behind me and then stopped stock still once I turned around -- but I got away unsprayed, only wishing a little that I'd thought to bring my glasses with me. Keen eyesight seems less important at night, for whatever reason; I held out on getting corrective lenses for a long time, when I was littler, and went to astronomy workshops at a planetarium without being able to see the stars as any other than just bluish smudges overhead. Come nightfall, though, there's no need to navigate by details, not really. Cricket songs, and petrichor, and stretches of shadow to linger in as I pass them by. A lot of people seem to get skittish when they can't see everything around them, like there be devils lurking just out of sight; but somewhere in my hindbrain there's a pair of wires crossed, insulation all melted away, because there's nothing scarier to me than a flat, open plain, just little hills and divots for miles and miles. Nowhere for aught to spring out slavering, nowhere to lie in wait for the unwary, nowhere to go for any what wants to stay out of sight, out of mind. Out of reach. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^