Ms Possum was invited back again to her friends place in the Central Eastern Auckland suburbs for another round of possum spotting. Ms Possum was surprised at this follow-up invitation as she had remarked to her gracious hosts “Shoot them all, I say,” as a flippant scatter gun approach to the possum problem.

“No, they’re cute” said the hosts (as they refuse to take Ms Possum seriously), and everyone was there to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Mummy possum proudly introducing her new offspring to the kind humans that put out carrots and apples, as a ritualistic offering to them at each nocturnal passing.

Ms Possum’s hosts were grateful that Mummy possum had concluded that not all humans shared the same predilections as Ms Possum does for furry attire. Every night at 6 pm Mummy possum would collect her “dinner-to-go” and say a brief hello to the nice humans, while proudly displaying her new possumette in her joey pouch or on her back. Looks like this new “Generation Z” is being trained to progress from being hunter/gatherers to the “How to Win Friends and Influence Humans” approach.

But on the night of Ms Possum’s arrival, there was no such sighting at the usual 6 pm. Was it because Ms Possum was resplendently decked out in her new fabulous possum fur raw edge collar in pastel blue, that bore an uncanny resemblance to Cousin Calvin? Or, was it an objection to the sound emanating from the contestants of American Idol? If only they were singing “the green green grass of home…”

Ms Possum waited and waited, camera at the ready, to record this moment in history and to qualify for her Possum PI badge. The inside lounge lights were turned off as an extra precaution. About 7 pm there were a few thumps down to the wooden deck and Mummy and Baby had somehow bypassed the security sensor lights, as these shadowy creatures of the night were barely visible.

Ravenous Baby made a dash to collect its belated dinner first.  How young ones grow up so fast these days, sigh!  And, they don’t want to share with Mum anymore either – disrespectful youth!  And where was Daddy possum you may ask?  Avoiding his marsupial responsibilities no doubt!  Yes, there are distinct behavioural similarities between homo sapiens and trichosaurus vulpeculas – family life just isn’t the same anymore.

 But I digress… as drats, there was no light source for Ms Possum to begin to take a photo. These urban possums are now so technically advanced as to tell the time, to avoid the radar cordon of security lighting, and have tracking devices to know Ms Possum was in the area. Yes, possum spotting is getting decidedly more difficult in our modern age.

Ms Possum felt she was hoisted by her own petard, but consoled herself with the thought that every dog has its day, and therefore Ms Possum would have her night. But it is a night yet to come…