by Kathrine Mills

Created on: October 21, 2009

Resting on the magnificent crest of the Hudson River, Nyack College is an Oasis for anyone who loves a good water front view. Lavish green grass and beautiful majestic trees cover the campus and add to the surreal surrounding the students enjoy there. A quick look upward as you are walking down the paths leading around the campus will reveal the fluffy grey squirrel. The Rockland County natives love to climb the trees and romp around the grounds, catching the eyes of the students who pass by. Anyone who has ever attended the college in the last five years or more can attest to you, that animals do indeed have a sense of humor. You see, any day when you are driving happily down the roads of Nyack you will be surprised to hear a sudden thud.This will usually catch you off guard, until you hear it a few seconds later, thud.

Now, a smart person would just keep driving and stay in their car, but some people have the nerve to actually get out of their cars in order to find out what the sudden barrage was. Looking up, they will find a group of those little grey angels. As they look up, they will actually meet the source of the mystery. An acorn will commence from the paw of the cute little critter and beam you, right in the face, followed by loud squawking chatter. This, my friends, is a squirrel, laughing hysterically. Yes, Nyack College has a bunch of clowns running through the trees. Many students will attest to the fact that these squirrels will actually follow you, stalking you until you get to your dorm, happily chattering as they hop from tree to tree. No one has been hurt, as far as has been reported; however, many a laugh has resulted from these funny little creatures.

Pets are notorious for their silly behaviors, some of which is dependant on the mood of the master. Cats, dogs, and birds are all known for their habits of being silly and loving in order to make their masters feel better when they are down. The intelligence of animals has been proven in many situations, but their sense of humor is something that is debated amongst owners and critics alike. Are these behaviors simple to explain based on something other than humor or is it really their attempt to make you smile? The squirrels can be explained according to some veterinarians as a simple territorial grudge they have against the cars that are in their way. They fear that all the people are going to try to either hurt their babies or take their nuts!

The noise you hear them making is actually a warning they give to make other squirrels and predators stay away. Dogs and cats are debatable because they seem very random in their behavior for the most part. Many who are known as pet communicators would claim that animals experience a range of emotions, thoughts, and show various attributes such as you and I. While there will always be little grey squirrels, mocking you from far above, the debate on their reasoning will continue and hopefully some day, we will know what the joke truly is!

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