At a very young age I was introduced to the world of animals.  My father is a retired prof from the University of Tennessee.  He was hired back in the late 60’s around the time of my birth, into the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.  Soon after, the National Park Service contacted him to begin a research project in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to determine the population density of the American black bear.  That turned into, not only the longest running bear research project in the world (50 years), but the impetus for my young, inquisitive mind toward animals of all kinds.

We temporarily housed a number of animal species until they were ready for release; from raccoons, to squirrels, to salamanders, to baby opossums.  Which brings me to the topic . . . Didelphis virginiana . . . the common opossum.

The opossum, henceforth referred to as simply ‘possum, is a complex marsupial.  They don’t know they are complex.  It’s more that we are conflicted about the ‘possum.  Are they cute?  Are they repulsive?  Do we fog the sliding glass door enamored by them as they eat our cat’s food, or do we grin their self-same grin when we see them spatchcocked on the asphalt?  

I’ve always been intrigued.  I mean, what’s not intriguing about a marsupial?  A pouch?  Whoa.  That’s kangaroo’ish.  But there’s more . . . they have more teeth than any North American land mammal; needle-sharp teeth to fill out that ghastly grin of intimidation.  A nifty fifty.  

If that doesn’t impress, what about their bifurcated penis.  That’s right.  A forked pecker.  Old-timers swore that they had sex through the females nose (think light socket) and the old lady sneezed her young into her pouch.  If that’s not intriguing than you might be a complete bore and need to ask a few questions of yourself.  At any rate, the ‘possum is, if nothing else, certainly not boring.