The announcement: “We found a bunny in the yard!”
The follow-up question: “Can we catch him?”
We took a moment to visualize a pack of jubilant children being quickly outrun by a frantic hare before offering responses, which ranged from “Knock yourself out” to “Good luck with that one.”
You might imagine our surprise when, a few minutes later, the aforementioned 6-year-old came back inside with another special announcement:
“We got him!”
But there was another follow-up:
“But he got away.”
We kind of saw that coming. But not this:
“He’s still in the garage.”
Enter parental intervention. I went into the garage with him, and he told me the bunny ran behind the stuff on the side of the garage…folded beach chairs, cornhole boards, sleds, brooms, etc. Behind the beach chairs I found a small baby bunny. I moved the chairs slowly. The bunny didn’t move a whisker. I picked him up gently, and he jumped from my hands. My son grabbed him…not rough, but I’m sure it wasn’t comfortable for the bunny. He gave him to me, and I held him in one cupped hand, the other hand closed over his body so he wouldn’t jump again.
The other kids gathered round. The air reverberated with seven-dozen Can-I-Hold-Hims (there were only 6 kids, you do the math). I took a moment to imagine myself in the bunny’s soft brown fur, getting grasped groped and squeezed by a dozen grubby mitts.
“No,” I said out of the kindness of my heart. “But you can pet him.”
The grubby mitts reached out to pet the bunny, still safe in my hands. Then the same complaint was repeated from all six mouths: “I didn’t get to hold him yet!”
“None of you have,” I explained. Then they asked the inevitable: “Can we keep him?”
I explained how he was scared, he missed his mommy, his mommy missed him, he could get sick, he could get eaten by our neurotic schnauzer, etc.
“So we can keep him?”
I fixed up a box, and we put the bunny in it with spinach, carrots, and a tiny cup of water. The bunny didn’t move. To its credit, it didn’t produce a single little rabbit pellet through this entire ordeal (NOTE: I would have produced several thousand. These kids were terrifying.) I taught the kids how to hold him…not to grab him around the middle, but to let him sit on their hands. Each got a turn to hold the bunny before we released him into the woods behind the house. There’s a big pile of old brush insulated with fallen leaves that I’m pretty certain houses a dozen bunnies and countless squirrels. The kids were sad they didn’t get to keep him, but overall it was a good experience for everyone.
14 comments:
Appropriate title:)
Amazing the bunny didn't die of a heart attack!
We had a nest of baby bunnies in the back yard a couple of spring's in a row - they grow like crazy and are gone before you know just. Just like real kids. :)
Sue- I didn't even mention the camera flashes. That poor rabbit is probably scarred for life. I did my best to make the experience as comfortable as possible though. To be honest, I wanted to keep it longer, too.
I like this story! And, you look pretty noble as the Baby Bunny King amid all those kids!
I loooove this story! Our piano instructor has bunnies all over her yard. For years I've told the kids that if they catch one they could keep it...I never knew they could actually be caught! (my kids have been trying for years...CO rabbits are faster, I think:))
That is too stinking cute! I used to love bunnies too, until they came and ate my garden!
Rick,
What a wonderful story.
Happy Easter to you!
Teri
I am melting from the epic cuteness of the story and the pictures!
Domey- Thanks, Jim Morrison (AKA the Lizard King) can't hold a candle to me.
Anita- This one was really young. They found it in tall grass, and I think it was too scared to move. The bunny was playing possum. That'll teach it!
Bridget- Luckily we don't have a garden for them to ravage, or I would change my tone, too.
Teri- Thanks, you too!
Laurel- It distracted me from the Apples to Apples game for a good half-hour. Part of the reason I didn't let the kids hold the bunny was pure selfishness. It's good to be the King.
Awwwwwwwwww.....
Oh my freaking CUTENESS!
I hope he doesn't get eaten by a schnauzer.
that is the cutest little thing I've ever seen! he is probably pretty shellshocked but what a great experience for those kids :)
When I released the bunny I set him on the ground and made the kids promise they wouldn't try to pick it up or pet it again, but I did say they could watch it to make sure it was safe.
At first it didn't move, so I had everyone take one step back. The bunny took one step forward. We took another step back and the bunny made several hops into the woods and stopped. The kids watched for a while before the bunny hopped off behind a tree and the kids went back to their various games.
It really was a great experience!
Oooooh!
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