when domestic and wild collide...

An excerpt from my mom's "backyard trauma" email:
"I recently mentioned the cute little possum we've seen in our backyard recently - he truly is a cute little guy and we have been enjoying watching him out there eating seed and sticking his little nose in the air to sniff things out! Anyhow - Scott left earlier to DG out at the course so I was here by myself. I looked out the kitchen window and much to my horror saw a little dog that we've seen running loose in the neighborhood lately ATTACKING our little possum! I yelled NOOOOOO!!! And knocked on the window! It was AWFUL!! I ran to the dining room all the while yelling no (I think!) and knocked on that window and the dog ran off and the possum was just lying there motionless. I was furious and grabbed my jacket and while I was putting my boots on to run out after the dog, I saw the possum get up slowly and slowly walk over to the brush pile seeming to be okay other than walking slow - he was obviously "playing possum" during the attack! When he was under cover I went out to "hunt" the dog down - he was in there at the edge of our property on the curve so I ran out yelling at him waving the broom! Yes, I am sure I looked like a mad woman! :) It ran a short distance and turned around and kept barking at me! Brat! So I walked back in the side yard by a tree and waited - that little brat started coming in our yard again - surprise! I ran out after him with the broom and he finally took off. I looked around the backyard and there was no evidence of blood or fur so hopefully the little guy wasn't seriously hurt and will be fine. The horror of it all... Geesh! I also know it is natural of dogs to chase little animals and cats to chase birds but this dog is always running loose and has no business being out and about being a pest and picking on little animals. We saw a HUGE possum in the front yard last night in the dark - he would have given that dog some competition! Scott was dismayed when he got home but glad I saw the little guy walk off. All I could think of when I saw it lying there was how sad Scott would have been when he had to go out there and move it!"