The road that led to our cabin rounded up the mountainside in one hairpin turn after another. Five years ago, when I still lived in Tennessee, I would've been accustomed to this type of terrain. I am afraid that living in Metro Atlanta has spoiled me a bit, making even the slightest hill seem like Everest.
It was 7pm when we finally pulled onto the gravel parking space in front of our cabin. Having never lodged at a cabin before I didn't know what to expect. When we entered the foyer my first impression was that it was bigger on the inside than it appeared to be on the outside- much bigger. The kitchen was off to the right and fully equipped with a stove, microwave, fridge and dishwasher. The foyer led into a great room that was two stories tall; glass windows from floor to ceiling. The view of the mountain ranges from the great room was absolutely amazing. Although there were multiple cabins along the road, we would find that the back balcony lent itself to total privacy. It gave the impression that we were completely secluded, and although from time to time we could hear a child's laughter, or a passing car, it was very easy to believe that we were alone.
Upon entering the great room I naturally gravitated toward the back door leading out to the balcony. Much to my delight, I found that it had a few surprises of it's own.
"Renee, there's a jacuzzi out here!" I shouted through the door. "There's a jacuzzi, and a grill... and a raccoon!!"
That last word was spoken in a few octaves higher than I care to admit, and while I am being completely honest, I had never moved faster in my life. Renee, who didn't really catch what I had said (shrieked), came over to have a look at what the fuss was all about. The raccoon sat at our window peering inside at us. He was clearly undaunted by my actions. In fact he sat there for quite a while as if this were his usual routine. Whenever I placed my hand on the glass he'd mimic me and place his on the other side. The few times that I (cautiously) opened the door he approached and appeared to sniff the air as if looking for something. I immediately grabbed my iPhone and began shooting pictures. This little guy was a pro. He knew what he wanted and he was not about to leave until he got it.
After I had taken several photos I went to our luggage and rummaged around for a snack. After finding what seemed most likely to attract him, I went back to the door and quickly tossed it out onto the balcony. The raccoon (let's call him Fred, shall we?), immediately picked up the snack in his hands and ran back to the edge of the balcony. He placed the snack into his mouth and climbed up the side of the cabin and out of view. As the weekend progressed, my suspicions would prove to be correct. Fred did return each night at the same time and was rewarded with leftovers courtesy of my refrigerator. I'm very sure this has been the silent arrangement for quite some time between Fred and the cabin's guests.
Later thursday night, long after the sun had set and the fireflies had called it a day (they're called lightning bugs in Tennessee), I thought of Fred, in some sort of absurd concern. The sky outside had opened up once again, pelting rain against the cabin's rooftops. The winds tore through the forest and smacked against the wooden walls. All through the night the weather lady warned residents to take shelter. As I lay and listened to the winds howl I thought of Fred and wondered where a Raccoon would take shelter from a tornado.
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