I said I would never do it. I would cringe when I saw others do it. Andy has done it. My friends have done it in front of me. I just didn't think I could bring myself to ever even consider doing it. Then today, I did it.
I threw a rock at a monkey.
Our campus security guards have slingshots (wrist rockets they are called here) and they leave their posts when they see the Rhesus coming and fire rocks rapidly up into the trees at them to discourage them from coming onto the ground. I wince as the rocks slice through the leaves. "Please don't hit them, please don't hit them," I think to myself. The monkeys don't realize what is campus property and what isn't. They don't discriminate trees as they move through. They have babies and are just trying to find food. They have just as much right to be here as any other living thing. Pests or not, I just could not imagine hurling a rock at them myself.
But today as Oliver and I made our way down the mountain for lunch, we came into a troop of at least 70 monkeys. I stopped counting. They were EVERYWHERE. Above us in the trees, to our right in the bush, to our left sitting along the road. Monkey city. My heart raced. I looked behind us and watched several make their way down onto the road. Trapped. Monkeys surrounded us. They seemed fearless. They were crawling up through the fence along the road and staring at me. Two males sat up (they can be so tall!) and followed my every move. Oliver was tight to me in the harness and he just watched as they leapt from their perches down closer to us. I kneeled down and picked up a large rock. I had been advised to toss a rock and catch it over and over should I ever feel threatened. I saw my friend Craig and Andy do this and monkeys scattered. When I tossed my rock, they came closer. They looked hungry. They were not scared of me or my rock. They were making eye contact and I was trying so hard to avoid it! I picked up our pace. Calmly talking to Oliver in an attempt to calm myself. I thought we had made it through the troop but then a male yelled out. Loudly. Cold sweat. I turned around and four large (HUGE!) males were following us along the fence and getting closer. So I whipped myself around, yelled "NOOOOO!!!!" I cocked my arm and aimed for the ground right in front of them and threw my rock-without any hesitation. No longer was I for monkey rights, the only thought I had was keeping Oliver safe. I yelled some more (looking crazy, I am sure) and picked up another rock and aimed, ready to throw at a second's notice. They froze. One of the males stood up and opened his mouth, aghast. Did that big-haired white lady just throw a rock at me? His expression was so human I laughed. I lowered my arm, turned on my heels and headed toward the school. Looking back a few more times to be sure that they had agreed not to follow us, I felt...confidant. I don't think I will go around hurling rocks at living things for the heck of it, but it felt good to have stood my ground and defended myself and my child. No monkeys were harmed and I can still think "don't hit them!"when I see the slingshots coming out. I feel like the monkeys and I came to an agreement. I can pass without repercussion, as long as they can too. Let's see if that agreement holds true tomorrow.
I threw a rock at a monkey.
Our campus security guards have slingshots (wrist rockets they are called here) and they leave their posts when they see the Rhesus coming and fire rocks rapidly up into the trees at them to discourage them from coming onto the ground. I wince as the rocks slice through the leaves. "Please don't hit them, please don't hit them," I think to myself. The monkeys don't realize what is campus property and what isn't. They don't discriminate trees as they move through. They have babies and are just trying to find food. They have just as much right to be here as any other living thing. Pests or not, I just could not imagine hurling a rock at them myself.
But today as Oliver and I made our way down the mountain for lunch, we came into a troop of at least 70 monkeys. I stopped counting. They were EVERYWHERE. Above us in the trees, to our right in the bush, to our left sitting along the road. Monkey city. My heart raced. I looked behind us and watched several make their way down onto the road. Trapped. Monkeys surrounded us. They seemed fearless. They were crawling up through the fence along the road and staring at me. Two males sat up (they can be so tall!) and followed my every move. Oliver was tight to me in the harness and he just watched as they leapt from their perches down closer to us. I kneeled down and picked up a large rock. I had been advised to toss a rock and catch it over and over should I ever feel threatened. I saw my friend Craig and Andy do this and monkeys scattered. When I tossed my rock, they came closer. They looked hungry. They were not scared of me or my rock. They were making eye contact and I was trying so hard to avoid it! I picked up our pace. Calmly talking to Oliver in an attempt to calm myself. I thought we had made it through the troop but then a male yelled out. Loudly. Cold sweat. I turned around and four large (HUGE!) males were following us along the fence and getting closer. So I whipped myself around, yelled "NOOOOO!!!!" I cocked my arm and aimed for the ground right in front of them and threw my rock-without any hesitation. No longer was I for monkey rights, the only thought I had was keeping Oliver safe. I yelled some more (looking crazy, I am sure) and picked up another rock and aimed, ready to throw at a second's notice. They froze. One of the males stood up and opened his mouth, aghast. Did that big-haired white lady just throw a rock at me? His expression was so human I laughed. I lowered my arm, turned on my heels and headed toward the school. Looking back a few more times to be sure that they had agreed not to follow us, I felt...confidant. I don't think I will go around hurling rocks at living things for the heck of it, but it felt good to have stood my ground and defended myself and my child. No monkeys were harmed and I can still think "don't hit them!"when I see the slingshots coming out. I feel like the monkeys and I came to an agreement. I can pass without repercussion, as long as they can too. Let's see if that agreement holds true tomorrow.
Yowzers, Lindsey!!! So glad you and Oliver are safe!!
ReplyDeleteIf there's one thing I've learned in life is you don't mess with a mother...no matter how nice she can normally be. Good to hear you have that mother lion instinct sis. Hurl away!
ReplyDeleteAh... here we differ. I don't want to HIT them, but I can't wait for my high-quality american slingshot to arrive in a care package. I get so pissed off at the monkeys racing on our roof!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll admit it's a rush to scare off a wild animal--especially since they are typically not scared of women. Maybe I'm taking out some India Angst on them.