Riverside

Saw a black squirrel in Gallup Park this morning. I know they occur in large numbers elsewhere in the state, but this was the first i've seen in Ann Arbor. I thought it might be a sign; through the remainder of my ride to work, the rest of the animals spoke differently to me, but as i speak neither squirrel nor bird nor chipmunk nor turtle, i was uncertain what they were warning me of.

Later, as i was walking home around midnight, a car parked about 10 feet in front of me and a pretty young woman in a nice black dress jumped out. At first i didn't look at her, she was going 'uhh, uhh' (though not loudly) and waving her hands. As i passed i glanced over and realised she was trying to get my attention. So i stopped and she came over and in a very low voice and barely understandable words and a smattering of what i believe was sign language she asked me for money. She seemed deaf, hence the sign language and her awkward voice.

It's been about 12 years since i gave a stranger money; i'm used to the regular scams - "i need bus money to get to Ypsi/Detroit/NYC", "ran out of gas on the highway, look i even have a small gas container", "i need drugs, man" - and ignore them. But her story was different and i couldn't figure out with certainty that she was scamming me. I gave her $6 and then tried testing her, asking if that was enough and implying i would give more, figuring that a scammer would leap at the opportunity. But she just said that she was so worried, thanked me and hugged me (i was cautious and checked afterwards, nothing missing) at which point i also realised she smelled good (nice perfume) and her clothes were clean - unlike AA most scammers/panhandlers.

Since she was worried about running out of gas i pointed out the nearest gas station, about a block away, and then she thanked me some more, got back in the car and drove off. I sat down across the street from the gas station but did not see her car pull up (she would have had to circle around the block to do so). Possibly she went to a different station on her route home, but i am left wondering whether or not it was a scam - i'm at 80% certainty it was, what do you think?

If i'm right that it was a scam, i'm also thinking that the black squirrel may have been a warning. But in retrospect the squirrel may have had a different message - the squirrel that lives in the first tree behind my house has been missing for a few days (i gather nuts and leave them in one spot for him, normally he eats them up but the ones i've left the past few days are still there) and i think maybe the Black Squirrel of Death showed itself to me to let me know my friend is gone.