found a dead opossum on the road. The mother had been killed by being hit by a car. Five babies survived, still clinging to her body. We tried very hard to raise those babies (this was in Ohio). We called the Cleveland Zoo to ask what to feed them (no internet in those days). They told us that opossums are very difficult to raise in captivity. Despite our efforts, they all passed and were buried in our animal graveyard.

That was the somewhat good story.

The bad story I blame on my older brother. I was the youngest of 3. We encountered a opossum in our back field. Needless to say, between a club, gasoline and a bull mastiff dog, the opossum sadly died an ignominious death.