My day was neatly bookended by a pair of interactive moments with toads.

At the museum, towards the start of my shift, I placed our resident toad on the little table in the Early Childhood Center. There were two little boys, each about three years of age, in the room. The first boy ran up, touched the toad, and jumped back in surprise. He had thought it was a toy. The second boy remained in his mother's lap across the room and could not be coaxed to come near the table. He even seemed a little worried. After a few minutes, his mother cleared up the mystery of his seemingly abnormal fear of toads by explaining that they were visiting from Australia - a country that, for those of you who don't know, is overrun with Cane toads. Cane toads, for those of you who care, are quite toxic, especially if you happen to be a child or a family pet. This poor little boy, being Australian, had been repeatedly instructed to keep away from toads in much the same way that a citizen of the U.S. would be instructed to leave the snakes with rattly tails alone. There was just no way he was going to come touch the toad. The toad, to his credit, didn't seem to care.

While out delivering papers, towards the end of my route, I glanced out my window and saw a poor little toad, standing on tiptoe, trying in vain to reach the top of the curb so he could hoist himself into the wet darkness of the ivy. I stopped my car, got out, and helped him to the top of the curb. He crawled gratefully into the ivy.

cds I listened to while assisting amphibians: Skepticism "Ethere" and "Aes", Chrystal Belle Scrodd "Beastings" (I met her once, and she picked me up. Literally.), Ordo Equitum Solis "Signs" and "Metamorphosis Personam Impono", and Orplid "s/t"