“My Buddy” was a song with music written by Walter Donaldson, and lyrics by Gus Kahn. The song was published in 1922 and early popular versions were by Henry Burr (1922), Ernest Hare (1923) and Ben Bernie (also 1923). Wikipedia.

This song was very popular and I counted over 50 different artists recorded it from Guy Lombardo to Barbra Streisand!

Life is a book that we study
Some of its leaves bring a sigh
There it was written by a buddy
That we must part, you and I.

Miss your voice, the touch of your hand
Just long to know that you understand
My buddy, my buddy
Your buddy misses you, Your buddy misses you, yes I do.

I think it will always pull on our heart strings. It is a sad, sentimental song but we need to remember what it was like in both World War’s to have someone go away knowing that you many never see them again.

Now this story is NOT about the song but a grey, squirrel (well more grey than black) that lives somewhere in the vicinity of the condo that my niece Deborah owns in Dundas, ON. Behind the condo is a heavily wooden area and the escarpment. Perhaps that is where the squirrel calls home.

Sometime last spring a squirrel started coming to visit the balcony of the third floor condo owned by Deborah. Perhaps he or she was being fed by others or was just looking for a chance there was food left under the table there. Deborah decided to call the grey squirrel friend “BUDDY”.

In Deborah’s own words:

“I thought this is a chance to get rid of some toast crusts and make a squirrel happy. So she started putting a few crusts and/or crumbs out in the balcony floor. Buddy would get the crust and hop up on the table and do a little dance.

I can pretty much count on a visit from Buddy to my balcony every afternoon around 4pm. When the clocks changed he did not deviate and now comes around 3pm. Sometimes the offerings are not appreciated at first if it’s something new like leftover pizza crusts. First mild disdain then acceptance. If I’m late or there’s nothing left for him, he’s up on his hind legs at the door looking in!

Buddy has been the only association with anything live for almost a year for me. He does the same dance and perches on the railing every day and each day I can look forward to his visit. Sometimes it only takes a squirrel dashing up the side of the condo going UP to another floor that brings a smile.

I can pretty much count on a visit from Buddy to my balcony every afternoon around 4pm. When the clocks changed he did not deviate and now comes around 3pm.

Sometimes the offerings are not appreciated at first if it’s something new like leftover pizza crusts. First mild disdain then acceptance. If I’m late or there’s nothing left for him, he’s up on his hind legs at the door looking in!

Another squirrel began coming by and Maureen asked how they were different. I said the new one was more black in color than grey. I call this one “BLACKY”..

Blacky is in and out like a flash, whereas Buddy likes to take his time watching the goings on in the Pharmacy parking lot from the edge of the balcony. He then exits up the side of the building probably going on his rounds.

I must say that feeding the squirrels is nothing new. We always tossed out nuts etc onto the deck at Haddon Avenue when Georgie was alive. So I  guess it’s probably a way of remembering her and some kind of connection to look forward to during this time of isolation”.

Thanks Deborah for this story.