An orphan and his owl

Lane DeGregory (St. Petersburg Times): LARGO — When he got to work that Saturday morning, Joel Quattlebaum did what he always does: walked straight to the refrigerator and took out a frozen mouse.

He put it on a paper towel to defrost. Dinner for JR.

Then he headed out back to talk to the owl.

Quattlebaum, 20, is the only paid employee at George C. McGough Nature Park in Largo. He oversees the 34 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway, makes sure the pier is sturdy and the trails are clear.

But his favorite part of the job is JR.

The great horned owl has lived in a cage behind the nature center for more than a decade. He has enthralled countless students while tethered to Quattlebaum's arm. Everyone who comes to the park visits JR.

But the only person who handles him is Quattlebaum, who has cared for JR for seven years.

He calls the bird "Kiddo" and "my partner in crime." He tells him about his troubles, takes him on walks. In that orphaned owl, he sees some of himself.

That Saturday in January, Quattlebaum was going to tell JR about the Lightning tickets. He couldn't wait to take his new girlfriend to the hockey game.

But when he opened the back door, he gasped. Someone had cut a huge hole in the owl cage.

JR was gone.

-eddie