My Opossum Persimmon: My Sidekick, and I were not together long enough! As a rule, Opossums are sweet and gentle creatures. My purpose here is to help people understand them a little more. Therefore, I’ll start at the beginning. Or at least, where she came into my life. By the way, if you would like to read more facts about these unique critters, SEE THIS SITE.
My Opossum’s Beginning:
First, you must understand that opossums are marsupials. As soon as they are born, mom carries them around in a pouch; everything they need is in there. Mom could give birth to as many as twenty bean-sized babies. However, half of those may not survive. Fortunately, the ones that make it into the pouch have good chances of living. Incidentally, she is equipped with mammary glands and can feed them right inside the pouch; super convenient for her! On the downside, those rascals will be in the pouch for 6-8 weeks; that can’t be easy. After that, poor mom has to carry them on her back! That’s what I call devotion! By the way, we can learn so much from watching nature’s parents at work.
My Opossum: Our Meeting
Back in the day, (Spring of 1971), I was living in a wonderful little town in central Florida, Frostproof! I was friends with a science teacher who went to the same church. Kermit was always rescuing assorted critters. He had a “de-scented” little skunk and a gorgeous blue Indigo snake. By the way, I actually was brave enough to handle that snake; it was beautiful! Incidentally, snakes aren’t slimy; they feel more like soft warm leather.
So, one day, Kermit showed up at my door with this tiny baby opossum. He’d figured out that I was ‘into animals” early on. Of course, I was eager to get my hands on her. I vaguely remember feeding her with an eye-dropper. Kermit said that one of an opossum’s favorite treats was persimmon; that’s how she got her name. As always with animals, I only had to touch her to fall in love! By the way, she had apparently fallen from a tree and mom didn’t find her. Kermit found her and knew she couldn’t be left alone in that situation very long. With his teaching, he couldn’t fit in “round-the-clock” feedings.
My Opossum, Persimmon: my Sidekick
Opossums are nocturnal and I am usually not! Therefore, Persimmon had a small cage fixed up for her at night. Consequently, I knew where she was. Moreover, she was too small to be running around loose. Otherwise, she was usually clinging to me. She loved to sit on my shoulder. Persimmon loved my hair; back them it was very long. However, when the weather was especially warm and humid, I put my hair up on my head in a huge bun. Like I said, Persimmon loved my hair, regardless of how I wore it.
Incidentally, most folks in Frostproof weren’t too surprised to see me driving around town with Persimmon happily perched on my shoulder. However, there’s a day that really stands out in my mind. I had some papers or something to drop off at a friend’s house so we headed there. By this time, Persimmon had learned to curl up inside my bun where she could sleep. It probably felt much like her mother’s warm pouch. It was a great place to watch the world go by.
As fate would have it, my friends weren’t home; but the cleaning lady was! Just as she opened the door, Persimmon woke up and stuck her head out of my bun. Oh, I wish you could have been there! The woman let out a holler as she took to the air in some kind of backwards jump! Shock and disbelief filled the air; even though she had safely landed back in the doorway. I feebly tried to explain our adventure and she quickly took the papers. Persimmon and I got out of there; I’m pretty sure the gal was thinking that she could have made a nice stew right about then!
My Opossum, Persimmon & I Make Plans
It was May, 1971 and I wanted more of my belongings from northern Michigan. I planned to stay in Frostproof permanently. I’d drive to Mishawaka, Indiana and attend the graduation at my Alma Mater; then go on to Michigan for more of my things. Persimmon was a great traveler and only needed water and some fresh fruit. Consequently, we only made a couple of stops so I could feed her or buy gas. I remember it well, because I drove straight through!
Looking back, that was not the best plan as I already had issues with my back since I was a kid and almost had surgery in 1968. I’d been under the care of an orthopedic surgeon since. However, I was challenged by the idea of such a trip, so I did it. Eventually, it caught up with me and I was tired and hurting. So, I got us very lost somewhere in Indianapolis in the middle of the night! Every kind of dark scenario played out in my mind. Thank God for His protection! Later, South Bend/Mishawaka never looked so good. Persimmon and I enjoyed spending several nights in my old dorm. My friends didn’t know what to think, except they knew how I am with animals. However, several thought she was adorable! Which she was!
My Opossum, Persimmon and I go to Canada!
After several days of rest at the farm, we planned our trip back to Florida. My itinerary was to go across Canada and cross back into the United States at Niagara Falls and visit some friends in Boston. Finally, we would follow the east coast back to Florida. A piece of cake! Persimmon was secure in her cage and fastened to the front seat. I’d packed her some water and fruit and we had several loaves of bread in the trunk. That bread would trigger suspicion!
The farm was only about sixty miles from the Canadian border at the Soo. Therefore, we headed up to the Mackinaw Bridge and north on I-75 to the Soo. (Sault Sainte. Marie) Incidentally, I love the Mackinaw Bridge so much that I always call it “my bridge!” Things were fine until we got to the border crossing. The agent had me get out of my car and open the trunk. He wondered why I had the bread! He may have thought I was smuggling something but he never had me open any of it; just asked a lot of questions.
Naturally, the discussion came around to Persimmon. She’d already left the state of Florida and now wanted to enter Canada! Gutsy little critter! He just shook his head and went to the office to check the books. She wasn’t listed anywhere. I’m sure he had never had an opossum try to cross the border legally; they usually just wander back and forth as they like! Finally, the officer just gave up and let us continue.
My Opossum, Persimmon and I Have More Adventure
In the meantime, we had gotten as far as Toronto when I realized that I’d better not get into all that unfamiliar territory. I was in tremendous pain and decided to head back towards Michigan rather than ending up in some faraway hospital! Really not a good idea; especially with my precious little sidekick! Therefore, we headed west towards Windsor, Ontario, where we could cross the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit. By the way, this time at the border crossing, it was little Persimmon who raised questions! I was able to vouch for her character; totally innocent!
The agent couldn’t understand how we had gotten into Canada in the first place. I kept telling him she was from Florida and was riding along with me. I told him everything that had happened that day but it didn’t really help. He agreed to let us cross as long as Persimmon was American and not an escaped opossum from Canada! Eventually, we headed up US-23 along the Lake Huron coast and found a place to spend the night near Alpena. Persimmon and I were both exhausted or we would have kissed the ground!
My Opossum, Persimmon Meets the Cats
Back at the family farm, Persimmon met the cats and they were fine to eat together. I had to let her gradually get used to being outside. Fortunately, She was nearly full-grown by then but I wish I could have done more for her. I wondered if she would find a mate. She loved going out in the orchard to eat apples. I scheduled for surgery on my back so I flew back to Florida and packed up what was there and shipped it back on Greyhound. My surgery was early September and it went well.
After that, I saw Persimmon occasionally at the food dish or in the orchard, eating her beloved apples. Finally, I moved to Charlevoix to begin another job. I’ve thought of her over the years many times. She was a precious little friend and I wish I could have her curled up in my hair again. However, I’ve long since cut off that long hair!
Epilogue
I have regrets here; I know better now than to keep a wild animal away from its natural environment. Ideally, I should have raised her until she was ready to go to a Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center where she could have eventually been released into the wild. Fifty years ago, I didn’t know what to do. Since all that, I’ve taken wild babies to our WR&R where life is more natural for them. Persimmon was certainly loved but she was a “peg in a square hole” in some ways. None of us want that, do we?
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my opossum story. Persimmon made life interesting. Animals always do. Please register on the nearby form so I can send you updates. Also, if you have questions about this page or any others, please don’t hesitate to CONTACT ME.
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