. . . what I read in the newspaper

"I started the washer, put the clothes in, added detergent, and probably threw in the fabric softener right on the OPOSSUM before I noticed it lying in the wash drum," said Krista May of another pleasant little town nearby. Because I have tried unsuccessfully to generate the nickname "Possum" for myself, I was immediately interested in the saga of the neighboring marsupial.

May opined that the opossum had got into the washer by nudging open the lid of the top-loader and jumping in. I suspect, more likely, someone had followed the instructions that recommend that the machine lid should be left open after use. (Grandmother) Jacqueline May said it was quite an adventure, and the family took some cute pictures.

The County Animal Control reluctantly "relocated" the opossum to another area. Let's hope that is not a euphemism.