We may have to cancel Groundhog Day

I discovered something this week.
My car has animal magnetism.

No, I don't mean it exudes charm and exciting gentlemanly hotness; I mean animals from miles around are compelled to run in front of it with no regard to what it means for their immediate future.

Earlier in the week, I was driving along when a groundhog ran in front of me.
He obviously planned his trajectory well in advance, going at exactly the right speed for the right length of time at the correct angle to end up directly beneath my tires.

**bump-bump**

I felt slightly bad about that, but consoled myself with the knowledge that this kind of thing just sorta happens sometimes when you live in a rural area teeming with wildlife.

Then, a day or two after that, I was driving to work when I saw a bird flying directly toward my windshield. Again, it was some odd angle which had to have been previously calculated to the Nth degree, at exactly the right wind speed, in just the right direction to end up slamming against my windshield.

**FWUMP**

As I drove on, I looked in my rear view mirror to see the poor bird flapping and flopping pathetically on the pavement in the center of the road.

Now I felt really bad.
And curious about what on earth just happened.

Later that night, while I was driving home, I saw something standing in the road ahead of me. It was hard to see, so I slowed down...
And there in my headlights was someone's dog, just standing there in the middle of the road with no fear whatsoever. Looked kinda like a chocolate lab, I think.
Determined NOT to hit someone's dog, I slammed on the brakes and swerved to avoid it.

**pause for dramatic effect**

I did not hit the dog. (Thank goodness!)
The dog lived. And by "lived", I mean it kept its two functioning brain cells which told it to meander aimlessly into the center of the road, and into the oncoming lane. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic. I hope he made his way home all right.

I'm afraid to find out what I may be hitting next.
I live in an area with a lot of deer. So far in my 39 years on this planet I've managed to avoid hitting any deer. Perhaps the day is coming.

In the meantime, you may want to keep your pets indoors.
And don't get particularly attached to Bambi.
.