try some optimism for a change!

My faith in humanity has been restored.
I feel like I should write an article to the papers about this selfless act of goodwill from stranger to stranger.

So, last night I recruited my dad into coming over with a (entirely too small) ladder to help try to retrieve my iguana who has been stranded at the tippity-top of a tall apple tree in my back yard for at least a week, through days of cold and rainy weather. Standing on the ladder and holding a giant bamboo stalk over my head didn't even come *close* to the lizard.
Giving up on that tactic, we finally tried throwing apples near her and shaking the tree in an effort to scare her into coming lower down into the tree. But to no avail. Finally we realized the futility of our efforts and, with a sigh of defeat, called it a night.

A few minutes later I started walking my dog, when across the street, almost mocking me with its proximity and with being the perfect tool to solve my dilemma, was a BGE truck with a cherry-picker on it. I started thinking, 'if only I could talk the BGE guy into helping me... but no, there is no way he will drive his company truck which he could certainly get fired for doing, down a grassy hill to my back yard, where it could get stuck in the mud, during the time he is supposed to be working on something across the street!

So, feeling downtrodden, defeated, and like god is mocking me, the ultimate pessimist, I continued on my walk, wishing I had the nerve to ask anyway, though I already knew what the answer would be. My phone rings and its my friend who is coming to town to get a pedicure. I outline the situation to her and whine until she is fed up and agrees to anything just to shut me up, anything in this case being to ask the BGE guy my crazy request!

Magically, the guy agrees to at least take a look!! I am blown away by the fact that he would even consider it! We hang around for a good 30 or 40 minutes while he finishes up his task. Meanwhile, night is falling and the darker it becomes, the more pessimistic I feel about the guy actually helping. Finally, he comes over and says, 'OK lets take a look'. We walk around and I show him the tree, the lizard, the path and grassy hill he will have to back his truck down. He is afraid the heavy truck will get stuck. I try to look cute and needy and helpless and hopeful all at the same time. I mention that the lizard is friendly and a vegetarian. I throw in there that the CA trucks drive down here all the time, though they may not be as big as his.

He is swayed and goes to get his truck, drives down the hill, points his truck spotlight directly on the iguana so the only thing illuminated in the dark sky is the green belly of Artemis, stretched across a thin branch. He hops into the nimble cherry picker and maneuvers himself to the right spot. At this point anything can go wrong- the iguana can make a run for it. He can grab the iguana, but drop her in fear when she starts to thrash about. But he is staunch and steady in his task and holds firmly while the 6 foot lizard in his hand proceeds with her panicked flailing. He comes down with some difficulty and hands her off to me and that's it, problem solved, sans tragedy!
I vigorously shake his hand, thanking him profusely, telling him he has renewed my faith in humanity. I still can hardly believe it! What a great guy, what a happy ending!