I HAVE THE INFO

Death on the Highway

There is an absurd amount of death on the road. You see it all up close and seemingly in slow motion, even at 20 mphs. The bloated corpse of deer on Joshua road. The headless stray cat at 52nd and chesnut. The furry remains of a squirrel on Lansdowne ave by Cobbs Creek Golf course, sticky puddles decorated with crushed feathers on Umbria. The stench of skunk near Conshe*…all under circling, watchful eyes of black vultures…

Just this week, I saw a tiny baby sized racoon, and a dead blue jay, both a stones throw from the safe woodland refuge of the northwest end of Fairmont park. Both seemed especially gruesome, the former, given the general cuteness of all racoons and the later due to the brilliance of even the most plain of blue jays.

Anyway, 2 weeks ago, my brother and I were riding up Route 9 in South jersey. I saw a turtle( a terrapin to be exact…but whatever.) There he was. Stuck in the middle of the road. SUVs lumbered over him. I watched him look out of his shell, and then retreat right away as yet another motorist ran right over top of him. I rode out into traffic, my brother went up the road and made folks stop, while I picked up the little guy and moved him to the ocean side of the road.

As soon as I put him down, he was off like a shot. Before I could even think to get out my phone to take a picture he was gone. He had a beautiful green shell with orange markings. You’ll have to take my word for it.

Anyway, 1 less dead animal.

For now.

*I am willing to acknowledge that that smell may have been…well…conshe…