I went for an early morning walk at a once popular park.

This park has a huge pavilion that once was open so folks could bring picnic lunches and sit awhile, as the oldtimers used to say.

It had cool breezes from the river nearby.

But the foos foos closed it up to enclose our Dentzel carousel, one of a few left in the United States.

Before that, the carousel was outside and we children could ride while the breeze cooled us off on hot summer days.

We rode a miniature train that circled around on a small track.

We had miniature golf, too.

And huge swingset frames made of old pipe with real chains and flat hard rubber seats.

And a ballfield for summer games. We had both youth and adult leagues playing.

The concession stand was a frequent stop when I was fourteen and my mother moved close by after my folk’s divorce.

So I was taking a walk early this morning and used the restroom (nobody around, not likely for someone to come in and pretend to be a victim), and started to leave, walking by the ballfield.

And there it was…a dead squirrel.

Not just a dead squirrel, but a disemboweled squirrel lying on its back in the middle of the sidewalk.

I called the police. Was told they don’t handle that, but animal control, but they’re not in because of the holiday. They’ll be in the next day.

The evidence would be gone by then.

It’s a satanic warning and we have to fight this spiritual war with everything we’ve got.

We need to fight this evil with a stronger response.