Think of our current concept of the ordering of the species as a sepia toned photograph printed from grainy 35mm film, developed by Linnaeus, taken with early model Leica cameras by amateur and professional biologists, a snapshot of 300 years illuminated by a single flash. We see only a frozen frame in the ongoing evolutionary whirl of life. But species morphology is a motion picture slowly revealing the changes of the plant and animal kingdoms through tens of millions of years. Feral cats mating with jaguarundi. Red wolves mating with coyotes. Life is patient and persevering; it finds a way for disappearing species to survive and go on in transmuted form. I have no doubt you saw a jaguarundi in its latest incarnation.
Oh, yeah, re the jaguarundi debate. Back in the mid-1960s, when the notorious Overton Gang kept things interesting around here (and, coincidentally, many of those safecrackers, pimps & gamblers grew up in your neighborhood)(whom I wrote about in "1960s Austin Gangsters," now available at many H-E-B stores, and elsewhere, but I love being at H-E-B), the infamous hoodlum Jerry Ray "Fat Jerry" James and his paramour, Betty/Joan/Joyce Taylor, kept a pair of jaguarundi at their homestead on Reveille Road in West Lake Hills. I like to think that their illicit offspring are out there foraging today.
Wow. That was a hell of an essay, Chris. Of the many great parts, I truly admired your restraint, leaving certain items to speak for themselves, like pointing out some razor-barbed cactus on the trail without feeling the need to tell your companions to avoid getting impaled by it. My favorite was the iPhone-Starlink hookup diagram. Many writers would be unable to resist the urge to add some commentary on that, but really, what more could be said?
Think of our current concept of the ordering of the species as a sepia toned photograph printed from grainy 35mm film, developed by Linnaeus, taken with early model Leica cameras by amateur and professional biologists, a snapshot of 300 years illuminated by a single flash. We see only a frozen frame in the ongoing evolutionary whirl of life. But species morphology is a motion picture slowly revealing the changes of the plant and animal kingdoms through tens of millions of years. Feral cats mating with jaguarundi. Red wolves mating with coyotes. Life is patient and persevering; it finds a way for disappearing species to survive and go on in transmuted form. I have no doubt you saw a jaguarundi in its latest incarnation.
What a beautiful way to put it—thank you.
Oh, yeah, re the jaguarundi debate. Back in the mid-1960s, when the notorious Overton Gang kept things interesting around here (and, coincidentally, many of those safecrackers, pimps & gamblers grew up in your neighborhood)(whom I wrote about in "1960s Austin Gangsters," now available at many H-E-B stores, and elsewhere, but I love being at H-E-B), the infamous hoodlum Jerry Ray "Fat Jerry" James and his paramour, Betty/Joan/Joyce Taylor, kept a pair of jaguarundi at their homestead on Reveille Road in West Lake Hills. I like to think that their illicit offspring are out there foraging today.
Wow! It could be...
Thanks Chris. And greeting from a vacation w my 17 year old son in Berlin. A moment from here on the old East side to read your piece and say hello.
Wow. That was a hell of an essay, Chris. Of the many great parts, I truly admired your restraint, leaving certain items to speak for themselves, like pointing out some razor-barbed cactus on the trail without feeling the need to tell your companions to avoid getting impaled by it. My favorite was the iPhone-Starlink hookup diagram. Many writers would be unable to resist the urge to add some commentary on that, but really, what more could be said?
Thanks, Jesse!