Ralph, the curious raccoon, Comes Calling

My name is Ralph, and I am a curious raccoon.  

Ralph sounds like the name of someone brave and adventurous, even though I did not feel especially brave when I approached the front door in the middle of the night. It was 3:04 in the morning. The neighborhood was quiet, and the darkness made every little sound seem louder. A leaf scraped across the ground behind me, and I froze. For a moment, I considered turning around and disappearing into the shadows.

That would have been the sensible thing to do. However, I had been wondering about this house for quite some time.

It is an older house with a very unusual front door. Instead of plain glass or wood, the door has beautiful glass shapes and patterns that catch the light. Sometimes, when I pass by during my nightly travels, I see movement behind that glass. I have heard voices from inside, and I have occasionally caught the scent of something interesting. Sometimes I smell food that might be tasty.

I crept closer to the house, stopping every few steps to listen. My heart was beating fast in my chest. People can be unpredictable, and dogs can be even more unpredictable. I knew I should remain hidden, but the closer I came to the door, the stronger my curiosity became.

Who were the people living inside? Would they be kind to me? I hoped so. One morning, I had watched the woman trying to save some baby possums. Would she be kind to me too?

Was the golden dog awake? Could he see me? Would he chase me?

I thought I saw movement, but it may have been my own reflection. For one startled moment, I wondered whether another raccoon was staring back at me from inside the house. I nearly ran.

Then I looked again and realized the mysterious raccoon moved whenever I moved. That made me feel a little foolish, although I was relieved that I was not standing nose-to-nose with a stranger.

I continued peering through the glass, hoping to catch sight of the golden dog. I later learned that his name is Bear. That seems like a very large name for a dog, especially from the perspective of a raccoon standing alone on a front porch.

After a few moments, another sound came from somewhere in the darkness. This time, I decided I had been brave long enough. I dropped back onto all four feet and quietly hurried away. The people inside never knew I had come calling.