The Ice Panda

 

February 26, 2021 

He appeared this morning  . On a small patch of snow. The only remnant of the 2 feet of a snow bank, now evaporated,  that had lined my street for the past 10 days.

Upright. Indomitable. Inscrutable.

A mystery, a miracle, a little soldier of fortune

He was about a foot away from where my snowblower would have shredded his poor furry body. And another foot from where a giant snow plow would have relocated him Lord knows where and how far away.

He scared a neighbor who thought it was a deranged overgrown possibly rabid chipmunk to be avoided at all costs earlier in the morning.

Close inspection revealed he must have been a well-loved object of affection by a child somewhere within plowing distance of the front of my house. Its gray matted down and soaked weight and the fact its tiny feet were frozen to the ground helped him maintain an upright posture, looking alert, perhaps a sentinel guarding against other marauding soaked toy animals with malicious intent.

Three hours later, after a trip to Home Depot to buy supplies, there he was, not having moved one inch. By nightfall, his island of snow had totally disappeared and there he stood watching, waiting for something to happen.

An act of kindness was in order, A gesture, a salute, recognition of a minor miracle. I lashed him to the top of the fire hydrant a few feet from where he had been keeping watch to give him a better view of the surroundings. And elevate him to the safe throne he so richly deserved after all his travails.

Sometime in the coming days he may be seen and retrieved by his owner. In the meantime there's a glint of satisfaction in his two tiny black eyes. Against all odds, he has prevailed and has a future.

POSTSCRIPT

His nickname was suggested by a friend who recalled the discovery of Otzi the "Ice Man" found in Italy's south Tyrol mountains in 1991, although not with a copper ax in in hand!

First appearance of the Ice Panda after a warm windy night evaporated the  remainder of a snow bank in front of my house.

Vigilant night...

and day...

The Icc Panda appeared after a major ice melt of the snowbank over a week of unseasonably warm temperatures.

Photos  by Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.

 

Comments

[Susan McCulloch]

Love this PT! Is he still there?

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Yes, still holding the fort steadfastly!

[Shelley Allison]

Great story!

I’m hoping for a post-post-script, the one in which the neighborhood child (or parent or grandparent) discovers the Ice Panda strapped to his new perch and frees him with delight, leaving in his place an excited note of profound gratitude for his rescuer!

If not that, he does look like he was once very much treasured, and maybe that’s a satisfying enough ending to his misadventure!

[Gerard McMahon]

PT,
Has anyone snagged the little Guy yet?

[Susaan Straus]

JUST WONDERFUL!
Bravo!

[Katherine Burton Jones]

Paul,

I LOVE it. It is sweet and touching and we need that. Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Keep him and keep him out of trouble.

Thank you,

KBJ

[Mishy Lesser]

A STUNNING REVEAL!!

Shhhhh!! It was me and Chris. We were out for a walk and that little guy was lying in the street at the edge of the sidewalk. Seemed sad, lonely, and abandoned so Chris propped her up a bit. Yup, she's female. It's wonderful to see how you wrote something whimsical about her appearance. And it would be even more wonderful if the caretaker of the Ice Panda came to retrieve her!!! 💙

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

The surprising reveal adds to the saga. I can add triumphant to sad, lonely, and abandoned. I could not tell its gender, will have to look again. i hope the owner leaves a message on the attached photo if the Ice Panda is reunited with its owner. Thank you for uncovering the true story after retrieving Ms Panda from the road. It's still a miracle to me that the little stuffed animal got another lease on life after your kind-hearted intervention.

[David Connor]

Wow!

This is a story. I am hooked...
Somewhere between Frosty Lazarus... Seriously

[Paul A. Tamburello aka pt at large]

What wonderful two reference points, Frosty and Lazarus!
Love it.

[Jim McMahon, SMC '64]

I'm out here in Hawai'i reading this post. The story travels well!

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Hello Jim!
How grand to hear from a classmate from halfway across the world.
Thanks for your comment. How it reached you is almost a message in a bottle that floated all the way across the Pacific.

How the heck did you ever find my blog, in which your comment is now posted.
The Watertown Tab may run the story this Friday.

I always look forward to Bob Lilly’s SMC-isms, with good news, sad news, and now great grandparent news. I trust you are well and imagine you were sitting at your laptop feeling the legendary tropical breezes from those islands when you came across the story. If that’s your permanent home, I envy you and the scenery.

Cheers!
Paul

[Ann Baker]

PT,

This is the highlight of my week. Thanks.

Ann

[Myke Farricker]

Love it!

[Bernard Ussher]

a published author ... no less

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

Tanks…A strategy to cobble together some name recognition in times of pandemic!

[Carole Blossom]

What a sweet and kind tribute to someone's panda bear. You are a hero, Paul!

[Paul A. Tamburello, Jr. aka pt at large]

More like a good Samaritan but a good deed nevertheless!

[Susaan Straus]

Bravo! Definitely one of your all time best.