Grandfather Saguaro’s Visitors

‘Cinco Piquitos were all still in deep slumber, but I was hearing another sleep sound
outside the nest. I moved with my best stealth slither away from the Cinco Piquitos and to
the perch. I stick my head out slowly so as not to alert an enemy of my presence. What I
see when I look up at the closest cactus look makes me gasp!’

‘I see an animal like a

two leg cat but with big
ears and white fur
around its face like a
bandit mask. But, that is
not what is so strange
how can an animal have
a tail longer than its
body? And this tail has
stripes of black and
white with black at the
tip, that is one big tail!
Then I notice the animal
has claws that look more
like a raccoon. One
sleepy eyelid raises half
way and I say ‘Hello’, to
this thing.’

‘Who are you?’ asks the ringtail cat.

‘I am Wedgie Long Fang guardian of the Cinco Piquitosss.’ I tell the cat. ‘Why are you
up here on the cactusss?’ my turn to ask question.

‘I am Climber Ringtail, because that is what I do. I am a Ringtail cat and I have climbed
to this spot for two years now.’ Said Climber Ringtail.

‘Do you know this family Climber Ringtail?’ I hiss.

‘Oh, yes I know Donnetta we talk many mornings after she finish feeding chicks.’
Answered Climber Ringtail. ‘Where is Donnetta today?’ Climber Ringtail now has her
ears at full alert.

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‘Sad to say she will not return I buried her far from here yesterday.’ Wedgie Wedgie
Long Fang responds in a quiet voice. ‘Donnetta asks me with her last breath to come and
tell the Cinco Piquitosss. I am now here to watch over them until they can fly and take
care of themselves.’ Wedgie Wedgie Long Fang wonders if he has said too much to the
little cat.

Climber Ringtail almost falls off the cactus arm laughing. ‘I will wait to see you fly out
and catch insects and moths for them this should be fun.’ Climber Ringtail finally
squeaks out between giggles. ‘Look down there, we have other visitors hoo want to see
this too.’ Climber Ringtail said pointing a paw at the ground below while wheezing a
laugh.

‘You sure made a lot of noise last night.’ Zip the Borrowing Owl chirped up. ‘You guys
kept us awake for hours with all the introductions and ceremony.’ Zoom squeaked. ‘But
we heard I’itoi walking in the night, wow that was something changing a two leg into a
coyote!’ Zap added with awe in her voice. ‘We are Zip, Zap and Zoom the Borrowing
Owls and we live just over there. We are Burrowing Owls escaped from the metal bird
park.’ Zip chirped as he turned his head in the direction of their burrow.

‘You have really long legs for birds.’ Wedgie Wedgie Long Fang aka Wedgie hissed
back. ‘What is a metal bird park?’ I ask.

‘Two legs call it Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. It has hundreds of metal birds that two
legs go in across the sky. Make many sounds like thunder or earthquake. Much too busy
for us to have a quiet home life.’ Zip tells the snake and cat.

‘We have to have long legs, we dig with our claws and run on the ground almost as fast
as we fly.’ Zoom said proudly. ‘I want to become as fast as a Road Runner when I grow
up.’ Then Zoom ran around the area kicking up a small dust storm with his speed and
darting motions around brush and a couple of Prickly Pear cactus.

By now all the Cinco Piquitos surround me to watch the show put on by Zoom. ‘That is
awfully fast Zoom, glad I am up here and not choking on your dust.’ Wedgie hisses. The
Piquitosss all giggle behind me. I see Zip bobbing his head up and down and turning so
he almost looks at me upside down. ‘Hey Zip what are you doing, you are making me
dizzy.’ I hiss.

‘I want you to know why I am called Zip.’ With that Zip does something incredible,
faster than I can blink he squats so I cannot see his legs of claws. Then he pulls his head

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into his body till only his eyes and head show the ball of down and feathers. Then he
jumps up spreading his wings and legs and makes his head tall. ‘This is why I am called
Zip.’ Then Zip repeats his act three times in a row as fast as he can. And gives us all a
small bow as we applaud him.

Perpetua keeps cheering for Zip long after everyone else has stopped. Suddenly she stills
noticing the silence. ‘What? I really enjoyed the show, I cannot do that even in slow
motion.’ Perpetua stands as tall as she can defending her position, then she fluffs out her
plumage such as it is and goes back to her spot.

Perpetua tucks her head into her shoulder and falls fast asleep like a shadow had passed
over her. Here one moment and gone the next, maybe she is still tired. Wedgie ponders as
he turns back to the action below. ‘Seemsss like Zap should tell usss about her name.’
Wedgie hissesss with a smile.

Zap dashes to the front, sticks out her right leg and claws the ground while fluttering her
wings. Then Zap shifts and repeats the performance with her left leg. ‘That is how I zap
scorpions and other dangerous food.’ Zap informs the audience.

Perpetua peeps up. ‘Oh how marvelous Zap, I would not want to be caught in your talons.
How powerful and fluid are your moves.’ Perpetua again ruffles her down and feathers
and returns to her sleeping spot. No one has a chance to ask how she got back in the
group or awoke so fast.

Ban enters the opening below padding out of the brush just then with his tongue hanging
out. The three Z’s have vanished as quick as Wedgie can move his eye skin. ‘What?
Madre sent me to be the day guard for the Grandfather Saguaro. Madre Gris and the pup
will watch when dark comes.’

Climber Ringtail speaks up for the first time. ‘Oh, you are the coyote two leg I’itoi has
made you handsome.’ Climber Ringtail waves her tail back and forth as if playing with a
vole. ‘I am Climber Ringtail and a friend of the family.’ She responds to Ban’s blank
look. ‘Do you know the Grandfather’s story?’ Climber Ringtail asks.

‘Wedgie Long Fang, you good with this?’ Ban asks as he tilts his head up to look at the
perch.

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‘Don’t call Wedgie Long Fang anymore, everyone now calls me Wedgie just as One Eye
did pleasesss. You are now Ban and I am Wedgie!’ Wedgie nods his head up and down in
a yes statement. ‘What is story of Grandfather Saguaro?’

Perpetua beaks forth in a sing song voice.

GRANDFATHER SAGUARO

Ancient, majestic you stand tall.

Before three peaks, you make your stand.

Baboquivari range hides your secret.

Your heart is full of Elf Owls.

You stand against the sun, heat, rain and wind.

Tall and green adorned with thorns.

Your strong long arms gather in your owls year after year.

A secret you keep year to year.

But each little owl you hold dear.

Ban pads over to a concealing brush at the edge of the clearing, circles around in place
and plops down. With his head on his paws, Ban mutters. ‘Things seem to change here all
the time.’ Ban closes his eyes but you can tell he is still alert by the movement of his ears.
Climber Ringtail sneaks down the Grandfather and fades into the desert. The three Z’s
pop back out of their burrow but do not know or trust Ban enough to go back to the
Grandfather Saguaro.

I feel like I am in a hot spring, which I saw at the foot of a mountain one night. The water
was bubbling and popping it was very very hot! I uncoil myself from around the
Piquitosss, little beaks indeed. But, I have to get out of Grandfather Saguaro before my
insides turn to mush. ‘I will be close by Piquitosss, just need some air and a snack.’
Wedgie whispers. Going down Grandfather’s ribs is not easy but I weave a pattern back
and forth so as not to get going too fast. When I reach the base of the cactus Ban opens
one eye and stares at me.

‘What are you to Wedgie?’ Yawns Ban

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‘Out for some air it is so hot up in the Grandfather and something to eat.’ I reply. ‘And
you Ban, will stay here until I return pleasesss.’ I plead.

Ban, snorts in disapproval but then shakes his head yes. ‘Don be gone too long slippery
one, ok?’

‘I will be back as fast as I can fill my belly.’ I reply.