Letters of a Minnesota Squirrel
Letters of a Minnesota Squirrel
Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, Minnesota
For my dearest friend—Moon.
Dear Moon, I have to tell you a secret. It’s a little embarrassing, but I am fall in love with my tail. It becomes my favorite. Wait, second favorite. You are my favorite favorite. You always are.
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I love my tail. Obsessed with it. It’s so soft, beautifully bushy. Actually, it means more than a tail. It’s my umbrella, my shade, my blanket, my swimming rudder… It’s my everything. I am proud of it. Love, Almond
2
Dear moon, I decide to make a trip to see my cousin who lives a couple of blocks away. Mom warned me that I should be really careful when I go out on the road, since my great grandpa, my uncle and three of my cousins were ended as fresh bloody pies. They are totally tragic and normal tragedies that are recorded on every squirrel family’s history.
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Crossing road is a test, especially in Minnesota. You win or lose. One time done deal. I wish some day we could have a skyway. Take care, Almond
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Dear Moon, I have trouble with my teeth. They grow too fast. Faster than what I can handle. Mom says I am being lazy gnawing my teeth; that’s way they look growing faster than average squirrel. I thought I am just extraordinary.
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Actually, gnawing my teeth is not a problem. What I choose to gnaw on is a problem. You know my favorite Twizzlers are electrical wires. Last night I went to the house to chew my twizzlers. I have been working on that for several months. Not long after I started my process, I heard a click sound. The light flashed twice. Then the entire room went dark. Today I went back to the house. I found a silver cage added to my entryway. It’s an evil toy. Moon, I got to tell you a truth—Minnesota nice is a joke. Miss you, Almond 7
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Dear Moon, I have a good dream last night. There was a tree growing inside of my room. It’s fruity. It grew all my favorite treats: acorns, walnuts, hickory nuts, beechnuts, maple samaras, grapes, apples, berries, black cheery‌
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They started falling off the tree gradually. Sooner there were piles of goodies everywhere. I can dive in the piles, jumping from one to another. Isn’t it the most beautiful scene the world? Pardon me for using the letter to wipe my mouth water. Best love, Almond
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Dear Moon, I would like to share my baby photos with you. I wonder whether you were born naked and blind like me? Wish you happy, Almond
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Dear Moon, I got a part-time job recently, working for my Dad. I help him hide all the nuts and tree seeds at hundreds different locations.
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It is not difficult to find a place to hide. It’s just not easy to find them again after the hide, if you do not carefully mark the locations. Even if I marked them, I would not be able to find them sometimes because others may leave different marks and things get confusing. Oftentimes, they were simply forgotten. Love, Almond
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Dear Moon, I hate winter. Do you? It makes me hard to find my leftovers. Maybe it’s time to think about moving out of Minnesota. Love, Almond
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Written and illustrated by Miao Yu, Fall 2014