Man 0, nature 1

So animal control came. Here's how it went down.

9:28: There's a rustling outside. I go out to see what's happening. There's a gentleman from animal control on my stoop, and another guy going to the van. My trash can is lying on the ground with the lid open. The guy on my stoop greats me and goes to join his colleague.

9:29: My neighbor is watering her shrubs. We chat about the raccoon in my trash can while the guys get their tools.

9:29:30: Then the raccoon waddles out of the trash can and makes a break for my neighbor, who leaps onto her stoop. It walks away and ducks down a storm drain. The animal control guys are still at their van.

9:30: One of the guys approaches with one of those sticks with the loop of wire at the end. "I guess it woke up," he says. You think? is what I don't say to him.

9:31: Animal control leaves. I call out the missus and we talk to our neighbor, who has returned to watering her shrubs, for a few minutes.

9:34: The animal control van returns, shining a spotlight on the gutters. It does a U-turn, shines a spotlight on the other side of the street, then vamooses.

9:35: We warn our neighbor to watch her ankles and return inside. The raccoon is still at large.