So, I was walking along on my way home from the bus station- I'd missed my usual stop and had to get off at the next one, which is really about the same distance from my place anyway- feeling kinda sad, partly from the comedown after reading a great book, partly just due to usual reasons. It's early night-time, about 8:30-ish or so.
Anyway, I cross a road and am walking past a few trees by the footpath when I hear a sudden rustling, and spot a creature drop out of one to land lower on the trunk, maybe about hip height. I say "Oh, hello possum," as I usually say to the possums I encounter on my travels, and was about to continue on when the thing jumps off the trunk and springs towards me aggressively, arms wide and claws extended as though it intended to climb my leg.
I sidestep, shout "Fuck you, I'm not a tree!" and run a few steps to escape it.
Then I looked back, and it was just kinda milling around by the footpath, looking pretty lost and confused.
It seemed to consider climbing a telephone pole, then stopped and wandered around a bit more. I'm a bit worried it will wander out onto the busy road right next to it; not sure what it's problem is. I watched it for a while and it didn't seem to go anywhere, and I tried to encourage it to climb a tree but it mostly ignored me.
I think I might get some fruit and a blanket and go back, try to relocate it somewhere safer. After I finish my coffee, anyway.
Not like I have much else to do. I'm not sure it even was a possum, it looked somewhat different in its colouring and shape.
Possibly just a different breed, since I'm not sure what else it could be.