Meet the Neighbors
Life in small towns can be a bit different from urban life. You actually know your neighbors, recognize folks in the grocery store, and lend a hand when one is needed. It is really nice to know most folks -- at least the two-legged ones. Because in rural life, you have other neighbors -- of the four-legged variety. In fact, some of them live in town with you.
Globe is an old mining town. Its hills are honeycombed with homes and businesses (and the occasional unmarked mine shaft). Many were built long before building codes ever existed. Every flat place seems to have a building on it. But there are many places that are too steep or unstable to build on. Which is not to say that they are unoccupied. Some decent-sized critters call Globe or its suburbs home. And not all of them are good neighbors.
For the folks on our street, it is javelinas. Javelinas are rough-coated, piggy-looking, cranky neighbors who weigh 35 to 60 pounds and who travel in groups at night looking for dinner and a drink. They are unfazed by humans and can often be found strutting up the street (in the middle of course) just daring you to try to stop them.
Javelinas are rough-coated, piggy-looking, cranky neighbors…
Copywright: Sedona Red Rock News
Up until about two months ago, we had an uneasy truce with our furry friends. Until the Monday morning when we went outside to find the street literally covered with garbage. The javelinas had discovered that the folks on Sunset Drive like to put out their trash the night before a morning pickup. For the humans this seemed like a practical, time-saving solution. For the javelinas, it was an all-night buffet. They showed their gratitude by dumping EVERY trash can in sight. Apparently they were so delighted with the five-star service, that they made reservations and returned every Sunday night for more.
Their human neighbors were not impressed. It only took three weeks of early morning street-sweeping to prompt them to action. Now no one puts their trash out the night before. The “all-you-can-snuffle” buffet is closed. The javelinas have left, in search of new and stinkier trash. And the humans? If you want to meet your human neighbors, just get up at 6am Monday morning. We will all be rolling out the trash cans and waving wearily to one another!
