Memento mori

3:10 PM – I was walking south on Alumni Rd from my office to the corner gas station to get a midday beverage and snack. I saw what might have been either a mouse or a chipmunk begin to hop across the street from the west side to the east side. A southbound car passed me and braked to avoid hitting the animal. It continued on, shaken, into the northbound lane. A car approached. Its last hop was into the front driver’s side hubcap of the car. Dead. Suddenly. I had a large mocha Starbucks iced coffee drink and a peanut butter Nature Valley granola bar.