This story begins with the sighting of a raccoon at Main and Hastings, in the heart of one of the toughest areas in Canada. Wildlife sightings in Vancouver, are not an uncommon event. Many is the time we will respond to prowler calls and find a raccoon in the garbage. Coyotes, deer, bear, skunks, moose and even one time a tiger, but that’s another story (click on this link to see a photo of the tiger on that call).
Now raccoons, while they may look cute and cuddly, are very dangerous creatures. They are from the badger family of animals and are vicious fighters. It is never wise to approach a raccoon too closely. James Flewelling and his partner Janet Ingo, are apparently city kids, who were not aware of this. They saw this raccoon, who I dubbed Rocky in the poem, walking through traffic at Main and Hastings. Thinking him out of place, they called for the SPCA who refused to come out. They then tried the BC Wildlife Service, who also refused. So, taking matters into their own hands, they decided to capture the little critter and move him elsewhere.
Now, our police cars are not exactly equipped with animal catching equipment. From somewhere, Janet got ahold of a sheet or pillow case. James started to approach the raccoon, who luckily enough did not want his attentions, and even luckier, decided not to fight. The raccoon, made for the nearest tree a few feet away (one of the beauties of Vancouver, trees even in the heart of Skid Row). The raccoon went up the tree, with James close behind. He kept trying to grab the raccoon, with no luck. Janet stood below with the sheet or pillow case, the plan being, James would knock the raccoon out of the tree and Janet would catch him and wrap him up. Probably good that it didn’t happen, since raccoons can weigh in the area of 40 to 50 pounds.
Reaching him was proving difficult, and by this time they had drawn quite a crowd of the local wildlife. Drunks, hookers, addicts and dealers were all gathering around and offering advice. Most of which was, you better leave him alone, raccoons are dangerous. Their Sergeant, Doug Hufsmith was later heard to remark something along the lines of, it’s pretty sad when the local drug addict knows more about wildlife than you.
Changing tactics, James tried to bribe the raccoon with food. He tried Power Bar and slices of banana with no luck. The raccoon kept climbing higher. By this time he was approaching the high voltage wires, and discretion being the better part of valour, James decided to back down and give up. Personally I think I would have rather had an encounter with the wire than with an angry raccoon.
James and Janet packed it up and went back to the station to wash up, and the teasing immediately began. Of course the story was relayed, and the poem was born.
