~Bat Influence~ by: el Presidente

Sunday, July 31, 2011 was a quiet night at the Woodcock's. I was busy sorting buttons (before you knock it... it's very therapeutic...) when a bat started whizzing around in the den. I'm not sure how he/she got in, but I am assuming it was through a loose screen in one of the den's windows.

I immediately shut the French doors and sized up the situation. This bat looked to be very healthy and rather large. It definitely didn't look like a Little Brown Bat which is common to this area. I decided to put some gloves on.

For half an hour to forty minutes I jumped around in the den. It looked like I was playing a good game of 'something' on the Wii! I wanted the bat to fly continually, hoping to tire it out. Once in awhile it would cling with its teeny tiny bat feet to the books in the bookcase, swooping up to land and popping its cute little head up, beady eyes sizing me up. I also tried swatting it with my gloved hand while it was in flight, actually making contact on a few occasions.

Finally, it landed on the floor. People have told me that bats can't take flight once they are on the floor. Uh, wrong! In less than a second it was up and flying again. This happened a few times. It was on the floor when I quickly put a blanket over it. I thought I had the little guy! No such luck! Off we went again!

After much sweating and swatting (me) and flying and diving (bat), the bat made a crash landing on to my button tray! Thanks a bunch, you little terrorist! I threw a blanket over it and attempted to pick it up. It started to vibrate with all its might, just like a little cell phone! And you should have heard the squeaking (read: bat swearing)!

I took the bat out on to the front porch and opened the blanket. He/she looked quizzically around and then flew off into the night. Goodbye my little buddy! Don't come back inside!