THE FLYING FOX

"Pteropus, belonging to the MEGABAT suborder, Megachiroptera, are the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as the fruit bats or flying foxes among other colloquial names. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Asia (including the Indian subcontinent), Australia, islands off East Africa (but not mainland Africa), and a number of remote oceanic islands in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans.”

ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA
(my own emphasis added to "megabat" because that was my favorite part!) 

The other day, I was walking home from a long day of school, minding my own business…when our dear friend John calls out to me.  I’m not sure what he says at first, so I begin walking toward him.  Before I know what’s happening there is a bat being unfolded and held up right in front of my face.  I wasn’t scared…just "vigorously confused."   Why was there a bat in my face?  Was the bat still alive?  If the bat is alive, does John have a good enough grip on it?  Where did it come from?  Why was John’s stance and facial expression one of an artist proudly displaying his masterpiece?    It took me a while (and admittedly, a few steps backwards) to figure out what was going on.   

It turns out John had caught and killed the bat earlier when he was working on our neighbor’s house…and he was just very proud of that accomplishment.  No big...

Once I took a few pictures, and made absolutely sure it was actually dead (I imagined it doing the oppossum playing dead thing...then "coming to life" in my hands and attacking my jugular!) I decided to try and hold it.  This picture is proof...although not my most flattering.  I believe I'm right in the middle of saying, "Oh gross, I can feel all its little bones through its rubbery skin!"