That's where this little episode started. My Granddaddy looking up toward a tree was enough to peak my curiosity. This prompted me to ask, "What are you looking at?" He pointed up to a limb way up high and said there was a raccoon up there. I didn't quite understand why he was staring at that raccoon. Looking back I guess he must have been planning what he wanted us to do. Well, he looked at my cousin, Trey, and I then spoke these words, "We are going to catch him." 

Do what?! That thing was a wild animal. What business did we have trying to catch that thing? Of course we wanted to know how we were going to do that. Apparently he had a plan...

His plan was to wait till it come down from the tree and the three of us would be waiting for him. One would have a broom (my Granddaddy) and the others would have these two wicker looked baskets. Needless to say, this was not raccoon catching equipment. My cousin and I could not contain our excitement over the thought of catching an animal. So, we got into position exactly like my Granddaddy said. He backed away from the tree and my cousin and I stood at a distance holding these baskets, ready to pounce when it came time. All we needed now was the raccoon. 

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity the animal slowly came down the tree. The raccoon was not on the ground good when all three of us sprung into action. My Granddaddy came running at it yelling like a wild man swinging that broom, and my cousin and I began the chase. Running around taking orders from my Granddaddy as to which way two go it appeared to be chaos. The poor raccoon was scared to death. It sought refuge in a culvert the sat in a ditch running through the backyard. 

Here comes my cousin to the rescue! He stands there yelling and watching its every move. My Granddaddy gets my cousin at one end with the basket, thinking that he can force it into it from the other end. What he was not counting on was the raccoon running out before he could doing anything. Now it's a foot race back to the tree. My Granddaddy chasing the raccoon till it gets to the tree and does the unexpected...

It turns around!

Now my Granddaddy is being chased by the raccoon! That had to have been one of the funniest things I have ever seen. He runs back toward my Trey and I with the raccoon in pursuit and that's when we catch it. I do not recall who actually caught it but I do remember the growling and yelping that thing did. 

We were victorious! He was placed in a cardboard box with a piece of glass on top so we could see in it. I know now that we should have left it alone. It did escape a couple of days later when it rained and the box collapsed. Even though it was gone this wonderful memory stayed with me. I loved my Granddaddy for giving me such good times. I miss him so much.