SDC, Funnel Cake and a Pest

Recently, my daughter and I visited Silver Dollar City (SDC) in Branson, Missouri. As usual, our trip wasn’t without an interesting moment.
Before we left to go home, I wanted only one thing, she wanted two. We both wanted a crushed lemonade drink for the ride home, and she wanted a funnel cake.
But, first things first, Dr. Lovely Daughter bought a funnel cake. After that, I found a stone ledge that encircled flowers and a tree to sit on, just off of Main Street. This was a good idea since there was a shootout on Main Street between lawmen and outlaws going on.
“You’re not going to be able to eat all of that,” I say, sitting next to my daughter on the stone ledge. 
“I know,” she says. “Have some.”
“I don’t like funnel cake,” I say, pinching off a hunk of cake and eating it. “Didn’t they have anything smaller?”
“No, this was the only size.”
“You won’t be able to eat all of that. It’s huge.” She offers the cake again, and I pinch off another hunk, popping it in my mouth. “I won’t be eating much. I really don’t like funnel cakes.”
“I know,” she says, pointing behind me. “There’s a squirrel behind you.”
“Where?” I turn to look, but I don’t see him.  
“He ran over there.” She points to another stone circle of flowers directly across from us.
When I finally spot him, I see that Mr. Squirrel’s beady eyes are focused on my daughter. “He’s looking at you. Why is he looking at you? Wait, I think he’s smelling the funnel cake.”
The squirrel takes one tiny step forward, tilts his head and lifts his twitching nose in the air.
“He smells the funnel cake,” I say again. “He’s eaten it before and knows that the funnel cake smell means it’s something good to eat. I hope he doesn’t leap across the pavement and fight you for the funnel cake.”
We both laugh.
She stops laughing and says, “I hope not either.”
About then a lawman appears and says something, but I can’t hear him so I just nod and smile.
“Where is he?” I say to my daughter. The lawman points behind us.
“I think he’s behind you somewhere.” My daughter continues to eat the funnel cake.
I don't like that she's not keeping an eye on the squirrel, so I watch him. He's now in the middle of our stone circle, only a couple of feet away. Then he inches closer, turns sideways and stares at her with one eye and takes another step--closer.
“I'm telling you that he's going to end up in your lap or in the middle of the plate,” I say  this a little too loudly. “He’s right there.”
She looks again at the squirrel and then at me. “I don’t know what I can do about it.”
At that moment, I did what any other mother would do to save her daughter and a funnel cake. I pinched off a big hunk of the cake and tossed it near the squirrel. It was obvious that this wasn't his first funnel cake rodeo. He grabbed the cake, ran back to his spot and proceeded to eat it between his tiny rodent hands.  
I did this two more times before we left to find our lemonade drinks. Between my daughter, Mr. Squirrel and I, we ate about half of the cake.
 
Moral to my story? I got nothing. What do you think the moral of my story is?

Comments

Unknown said…
I love funnel cake and (sadly) can eat the whole thing. My moral is this: eat your funnel cake far away from greedy squirrels (hee-hee).
The moral is that moms always sacrifice for their kids. :) Even if the kids are grown and it means giving up funnel cake!
Jenn and Elizabeth, Both of your morals, for my story, made me laugh.
Pat Hatt said…
Moral of the story, carry a cat around if you want to keep rodents from eating your funnel cake haha
Stephen Tremp said…
I agree with Pat, although I'm surprised he didn't say in in rhymes.
Crystal Collier said…
Those rodents are diabolical. Beware. ;)
JoJo said…
Very cute!!! I had a squirrel in my yard in WA, years ago, who would come up to my slider and peek inside. I kept peanuts downstairs and she started taking them from my hand. The following spring, she brought her baby to the slider for food. But then we got a dog and all the squirrels stayed away!!
Cheryl @ TFD said…
SDC, one of my very favorite places to visit in MO.
Glad you shared your funnel cake, otherwise he may have ended up on the plate! I'm thinking the squirrels love living at SDC. :)
Moral of the story - next time, just skip the funnel cake.
Sorry you didn't get your crushed lemonade.
Pat, a cat? Then I'd have a cat in the middle of the plate.
Crystal, They are!
Cheryl, I think all the animals wild or domestic are spoiled.
Alex, We did get the lemonade, just after she (we) ate the funnel cake. The two don't mix.
Mary Aalgaard said…
Chuckling. Nice of you to share the funnel cake. I loved a cool crushed lemonade on a hot day. mmm. sounds like a fun and delicious time was had by all, plus a squirrel.
Jennifer Shirk said…
Ha! Cute story!
There were squirrels at a campground we went to in Montana who were like that. It made me nervous that they were so not afraid of us!
Susan Kane said…
Brave squirrel! He must have a strong digestive tract!
Hehe...That squirrel definitely knew what he wanted!

Nas
Cynthia said…
The moral of the story is to try to avoid those menacing squirrels. You must go back for that crushed lemonade!
John Wiswell said…
I agree on the cuteness! Made me smile, particularly the sharing of the funnel cake. I could certainly go for some tonight.
Sharon Himsl said…
Smart squirrel...and probably on the plump side too! Not much of a funnel fan myself.
Carol Kilgore said…
I'm so laughing. I can see all this going down. I don't like funnel cake either - LOL. It's like cotton candy. I always think I want both of them, then after a bite or two, both are too sweet and end up in the trash.

The crushed lemonade sounds good.
nutschell said…
I think the moral is share your blessings with others--even squirrels:)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Lynn Proctor said…
haha i love this--hmmm maybe never turn down a funnel cake ;)
Kit Grady said…
Great story, ah a squirrel moral, let me think-
Kit
Susan Oloier said…
Moral? Don't feed funnel cakes to squirrels because they'll always beg for more? I don't know. Fun story, though.
Gina Gao said…
This is so cute! I loved this post.

www.modernworld4.blogspot.com
cleemckenzie said…
Moral: Beware of funnel cake addicted squirrels. OR Know where Chinese take out is located and skip funnel cake all together.
Anonymous said…
I've missed coming by here :) I'm backkkkkk

Popular Posts