Recently, an elderly Miami resident was reminded that life is always filled with surprises. The 99-year-old woman was peacefully sleeping in her own bed when she felt someone or something caressing her face. She opened her eyes and saw a startling sight. A strange looking animal was staring back at her. It was resting on her chest.
The frightened senior shrieked. It had certainly been a rude awakening. The critter was a kinkajou. It is in the raccoon family and resembles a monkey. The animal scooted to the attic. The woman called her family. It was 2 a.m.
All ended well. A family friend was able to lure the adorable creature out of the ceiling and into a cage. A veterinarian at a local animal center declared that it was in good health and just frightened and hungry. The kinkajou was reunited with his owner, who was delighted to have his beloved pet, “Banana”, back at home. No one knows how or why Banana chose the elderly lady’s Miami home as a refuge.
The Yiddish proverb Az men lebt, derlebt men (when one lives, one experiences) is so very true. The simple facts of existence create all sorts of contingencies. Sometimes things go as expected and sometimes things go awry.
The 99 year-old woman undoubtedly was not expecting a late night visitor. Luckily she did not face a gun-wielding burglar or a rabid animal. Hopefully, once she recovers from the shock, she will be able have a good laugh at the absurdity of it all.
The most relaxed individuals and the biggest control freaks ultimately reach the same conclusion: life is not always predictable. Many unexpected occurrences are just around the corner or even in our own attic, and often they occur just when we think we’ve seen it all.