NARNIA

The most dramatic rescue was in a Ft. Wayne cinema. During a showing of NARNIA, a bat was seen flying around the theater disturbing some of the audience. (However, nobody left!) Animal Control was called, but they would not go because the ceilings were too high---"Call Bob!" He had 40 minutes between shows to retrieve this bat, terrified by the movie’s horrendously loud and primitive sound effects and clinging to the very top of the theater's curtain. The manager brought a 15 foot A-frame ladder, but even with Bob's extended net, he could not dislodge the frightened creature. So a straight ladder was inserted up through the middle of the 1st ladder, extending 30 feet vertically into space! Bob climbed this unsteadily waving ladder, while we secured the base below. Wrapping his arm around the top rung, Bob tried to dislodge the frightened bat with a shorter and firmer net, but the tiny terrified critter just would not let go!! The manager was wringing his hands, saying, "PLEASE don't fall, Bob; we don't have insurance!!" Finally, with a deep breath, and a short prayer, Bob went up one more rung, holding the top rung with one clenched, whitened fist. He then stretched his body and other arm out as far as he could reach and successfully grabbed the bat with his glove, then descended the vertical ladder with one hand, while holding the bat in the other. We received 4 free tickets for his effort. "Narnia," a male Big Brown Bat, needed some recovery time, and was released in late spring. You never know what the next call will involve! Oh, by the way, Bob did make that rescue within 40 minutes.