Irrational Fear

As I've mentioned I enjoy running and do so in the morning.  A few months ago I encountered a critter on my run - a raccoon.  I saw the little beast as it was crossing the road, and from a distance and in the darkness of the morning I first thought it was a cat.  Until I closed in on it.

Well the little furry creature kept glancing at me, then across the street, back at me, and across the street - near where I was about to round the corner.  Something in the raccoon's eyes made me second guess continuing on my route - it seemed a bit too territorial and I was afraid to find out whether it was a mate or babies on my side of the street.  So I turned around and high tailed it along a different route that day - and boy it ruined my running mojo I had going on.

Several other times on my morning runs I happen upon a family of raccoons, especially on garbage day where they're busy scurrying for food and busy knocking down all the trash bins.  I've even seen one coming out of the sewer drain as I passed by.  I've become irrationally terrified of these beasts.  And this week while watching the news I realized my fear isn't irrational, but rather extremely justified.

It seems a woman walking her dog in a Bay Area park was mauled by 4-5 of these savage animals and now she's undergoing a series of rabies and tetanus shots.  Maybe I should do as a coworker suggested, and run with pepperspray or something.