对于邻居家后院小工作棚的命运，我有一份特别的关心。原因无他，就是为了那一群眼睛红红、耳朵尖尖的小家伙。
Iwasdoingacrosswordpuzzle, enjoyingmymorningcupofjasminetea, andplanningmydayinalazy, peacefulsortofwaywhenIheardthefirstwhackofthehammer.[2] Itwasquicklyfollowedbythescreechofnailsbeingpriedoutofwood.[3]
Isuspectedanddreadedthecause; myneighborhadbeentalkingforyearsabouttakingdownhisbackyardshed[4]. Notthatitwasn’twarranted[5]. Theboardswerewarpedandweathered, thedoormisaligned, andthefloorwaslosingitsabilitytoholduptheincreasinglyunstablestructure.[6] Theshedhadbeenputuptwodecadesagotohousemyneighbor’slawn-and-gardenequipment. Buthehassincehiredalawnserviceanddoesn’tneedthatstuffanymore.
Sureenough, whenIlookedoutthekitchenwindow, therewasaworkmanyankingboardsoffonebyone, revealingtheforlornskeletonoftheshed.[7]
“Oh, no,” Isaidaloud, asifmyneighborcouldhearme. “Don’tdoit.”
Myconcernwasn’tfortheshedbutfortheinhabitantsofits “cellar[8].” Myneighbor’sbackyardslopes, sowhentheshedwasconstructed, inorderforthefloortobelevel, ithadtoberaisedslightlyintheback.[9] Andunderthatelevatedsectionlivedanassortmentofcreatures—chipmunks, anoccasionalgroundhog, butmostnotablythebunnies.[10]