The Adventures of Pickpocket  (scenarios)

(Photos of the Pavilion, the raccoon den in District 5, and the potluck on November 30, 2024)
• A meeting of the raccoons, where they decide to steal food during the potluck.
• They dig a small hole under the wall of the Pavilion to enter its basement, then go to the ground floor where the potluck is taking place.
• They delegate two of their number to take a few dishes while people have their backs turned.
• They succeed and return to feast in their lair.
• The potluck organizers, the two women seen at the serving table, wonder where the dishes have gone.

By Carl Chapdelaine

ChatGPT: The Adventures of Pickpocket

Episode 1 – The Mystery of the Missing Plates

🖼️ Panel 1 – (Photo of Montfort Pavilion – exterior)
Caption:
Montfort, on a potluck evening at Montfort Pavilion...
Thief (voiceover, behind a tree):
“My friends... tonight is a municipal feast.”

🖼️ Panel 2 – (Image of raccoons around the table – den)
Thief (standing on the chair, solemn tone):
“Council of District 5 raccoons, the meeting is now in session!”
Raccoon 1 (leaning toward the pizza):
"On the agenda: lasagna, meat pie, and mystery dessert. "
Raccoon 2 (in front of the chessboard):
“Recommended strategy: underground infiltration.”
Pickpocket: “We will dig under the wall of the Pavilion... and emerge where the humans let their guard down!”
All together: “Loot! Loot!”

🖼️ Panel 3 – (Back to the exterior photo of the Pavilion)
Caption:
A few paw strokes later...
(Under the wall, small bubble coming out of the ground)
Raccoon 3 (muffled voice):
“It's working... but it's tight!”
Thief:
“Keep going! The béchamel sauce awaits us!” 

🖼️ Panel 4 – (Photo of the indoor potluck – wide shot)
Caption:
Meanwhile, on the ground floor...
Guest 1:
“Pass me the salad, please.”
Guest 2:
“Has anyone seen the meat pie?”
(In a discreet corner, two small silhouettes of raccoons appear behind the table.)

🖼️ Panel 5 – (Photo of the serving table with the two women)
Thief (whispering to two accomplices):
“Quick mission. You take two dishes. No more. We remain dignified.”
Raccoon 1:
“I'll take the gratin.”
Raccoon 2:
“I'll cover with the apple pie.”
(Arrow pointing to the dishes discreetly “sliding” out of the frame.)

🖼️ Panel 6 – (Back at the raccoons' den)
The raccoons are feasting around the table.
Thief (mouth full):
“My friends... this is what I call civic participation.”
Raccoon 2:
“Should we bring our own dishes next time?”
Collective laughter.

🖼️ Panel 7 – (Back at the serving table – the two women)
Manager 1:
“I thought there were two more dishes...”
Manager 2:
“That's strange... We didn't sell anything!”
(Small silhouette of a raccoon peeking out from behind a bush outside.)

🖼️ Last panel – (Outside pavilion, nightfall)
Thief (voice-over):
“District 5... watch your desserts.”

Translated with DeepL.com (free version) & Linguee

Second episode of The Adventures of Pickpocket (the raccoon): “The Hockey Game” (Possibly based on the Potluck model.)
(Photo of Mount Chapeau-de-Napoléon)

As he does almost every year, a local entrepreneur from Lake Saint-François-Xavier cleared the snow to create a skating rink on the frozen lake at the foot of the famous Mount Napoleon's Cap, which is so characteristic of the lake's surroundings.

During the day, hockey players take advantage of the rink to practice their favorite sport. Skaters also skate around it.

Night has fallen and the rink is deserted. The moonlight still illuminates the sky. The hockey players have left a goal net, a goalie stick, and a puck on the rink.

This is an opportunity for Pickpocket and his little gang to challenge a team from neighboring Lake Notre-Dame. (In a close-up, we don't see the entire teams, but we do see the area with the goal net.) The opposing team's goalie is at the net.

Two wingers from Pickpocket's team, including Pickpocket himself, wearing his lake association T-shirt, enter the opposing team's zone, where the net is located. Pickpocket's center player also enters the section, slightly behind the two wingers.

The opposing team's defenders try to stop them. But Pickpocket receives a pass from his teammate, shoots the puck and beats the goalie (who is wearing his protective mask). Victory!

By Carl Chapdelaine

Scene 1
• Photo of the interior of the Montfort Pavilion. Around thirty extras put on their costumes with the help of volunteers. These are winter costumes.

Scene 2
• Photo of the exterior of the Pavilion. It is daytime.
• Hidden behind the conifers, Pickpocket's small band puts on their carnival costumes. There are nine raccoons, and they must climb onto each other's shoulders to form three extras the height of a human.
• They will have to blend into the group by pretending to be humans.
• One of the three fake humans wears the lake association's logo on his chest. Underneath the costume, it is Pickpocket standing on top of two of his fellow raccoons.
• But there is always something that will betray their identity: a tail, a snout, or ears sticking out from under their masquerade costumes.

Scene 3
• The extras form the procession and prepare to walk down the ramp to join the Aerobic Corridor. The three fake humans blend into the group. The one with Pickpocket is in the front row. The other two are not far behind.

Scene 4
• Photo of the Aerobic Corridor.
• The procession has reached the Aerobic Corridor and is happily strolling along in front of the residents lining the path.
• Maggie, the cow-moose, comes out of the woods and joins the procession, walking alongside it.

Scene 5
• The fake human in the front row, with Pickpocket, stumbles and falls. The three raccoons are unmasked and frightened.

Scene 6
The three raccoons run off and plunge into the forest, followed by six others emerging from their human costumes, in front of a group of stunned extras and spectators.

(Catastrophic ChatGPT illustration; Gemini to the rescue!)

Translated with DeepL.com (free version), Copilot & Linguee

By Carl Chapdelaine / ChatGPT / Gemini

Pickpocket and his partner, Mollie, take advantage of a deserted ice rink at night to go skating.
The goalie’s net at the end of the rink, which was used during the hockey match against the Notre Dame Lake team, is empty. In the distance behind it, Napoleon’s Cap still stands out against the dark landscape.

The couple makes wide laps around the rink, holding each other by the hand (paw).

Suddenly, Maggie appears—the cow-moose who has befriended the community of the hamlet of Newaygo, at Lake St. François Xavier. (The cervid is active both by day and by night.) She wants to venture onto the ice rink and try skating on her hooves, with great clumsiness. Pickpocket tries to help her.

By Carl Chapdelaine

The Adventures of Pickpocket – “Balance on Ice” ChatGPT
🟦 Panel 1

The two raccoons are sitting on a bench near the ice rink. They are putting on their skates calmly. The ice can be seen, and in the distance, an empty net (a simple background element, without importance).

Caption: Pickpocket and his partner are getting ready to enjoy the lake’s ice.

🟦 Panel 2
They skate side by side, gently circling the rink.

Caption: Together, they glide smoothly over the frozen surface.

🟦 Panel 3
Maggie, the cow-moose, appears at the edge of the ice, curious.
Caption: Maggie watches the scene with interest.

🟦 Panel 4
Magalie cautiously places one hoof on the ice. Pickpocket shows her how to keep her balance.
Caption: “Slowly… it’s all about stability,” explains Pickpocket.

🟦 Panel 5
All three are on the ice. Maggie slips a little sideways but does not fall. The two raccoons stay close to her.
Caption: It’s not easy…

🟦 Panel 6
Maggie manages to stay upright for a few moments. The two raccoons cheer her on joyfully.
Caption: …but everyone can find their balance.

 (Scenario adapted by Copilot – Microsoft)
The setting is easy to recognize.
A frozen lake.
A few houses along the shore.
Winter everywhere.

Pickpocket and his partner, Mollie, want to gather fish to last them through the end of winter.
(They do not know the rules humans follow for ice fishing.)
So they wait for night.
The moon is bright. Bright enough to see. Soft enough to stay unseen.

They dress warmly.
The cold is sharp.

The ice on Lake Saint‑François‑Xavier is thick—twenty centimeters.
To catch fish, a hole must be drilled.

Under cover of darkness, they “borrow” an ice auger from a lakeside contractor.
Pickpocket manages to start it.
The machine growls.
The ice gives way.

While Pickpocket drills, Mollie prepares the lines.
Baited hooks.
Two short branches.
Simple tools.

Something tugs. A bite!

A first yellow perch comes out, stiff in the freezing air.
Then another.
Then a third.
Pumpkinseed sunfish too.

And then—surprise.
A beautiful brook trout flashes in the moonlight.

Their catch is good.

Pickpocket and Mollie head back to their hideout.
A rope over the shoulder.
Fish threaded along it.
Winter will be easier now.

By Carl Chapdelaine

Translation by Copilot

1 In front of the Montfort Pavilion, Pickpocket’s gang rolls a huge snowball.
2 They build a large snow raccoon. Magalie the moose watches the sculpture.
3 Nimble-Paws and Chubby-Cheeks throw snowballs at each other.
Frightened by the snowballs, Magalie hides.
4 Pickpocket makes a few finishing touches to the smiling snow raccoon.
5 The next day, the temperature rises to 10 °C and the sculpture sadly begins to melt.
Magalie watches the scene.
6 In front of the pavilion, a few passersby notice with surprise the remains of this strange snow sculpture.

By Carl Chapdelaine

1. Spring is arriving quickly at Lake Saint‑François‑Xavier. A few patches of open water can already be seen in the ice cover on the lake. It is night, and Pickpocket’s gang is enjoying one last hockey practice in front of the goalie’s net, with Mount Napoleon’s Cap visible in the distance. 
2. Maggie comes to watch the gang playing hockey. On the shore, a cabin can be seen, with a small outboard motorboat and a life buoy hanging on the dock.
3. The cow moose ventured out onto the ice. Suddenly, the ice gives way under the weight of the female moose, in front of the horrified raccoons.
4. Pickpocket arrives with the life buoy, attached to the end of a long rope.
5. Pickpocket throws the life buoy toward Maggie, who is still struggling in the large hole where the ice has broken.
6. Maggie manages to get one front leg into the buoy. The raccoons pull her onto solid ice. Maggie is saved!

On a spring day, during the snowmelt, the ditch along the steep extension of Hunter Street, on the flank of Mount Chapeau-de-Napoléon, is filled with water rushing downhill in torrents.
Pickpocket’s gang (wearing a sweater with the lake association’s logo) is about to use this watery slide to spill out into Lake St-François-Xavier.

Scene 1
Pickpocket and his gang (six in total), dressed in spring outfits, climb to the top of the road. They are pulling a molded plastic sled.
Scene 2
Five raccoons from the gang settle onto the sled in the ditch where the water rushes downhill. With their hands braced against the sides of the ditch, while Pickpocket is still standing behind the sled, they hold it in place. They are all seen from behind, with the long slope stretching out ahead of them.
Scene 3
Finally, Pickpocket jumps down at the back of the sled, and they let go!
Scene 4
The sled hurtles down the ditch at full speed, with all six raccoons shouting, exhilarated by the speed.
Scene 5
Then, almost at the bottom of the hill, the sled makes a sharp left turn into a culvert beneath Hunter Street.
Scene 6
Still on the sled, the gang shoots out the other side of the culvert and arrives in a small bay of Lake St‑François‑Xavier.

Illustration – Page Layout
Six-panel page (2 × 3), in a vintage comic-strip style on textured parchment. At the top, a title banner reading “The Adventures of Pickpocket.” A blend of detailed illustrations of anthropomorphic raccoons and realistic scenes (integrated photographs). Warm tones and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Each panel contains a rectangular caption box at the bottom, parchment style, with no text (blank). The composition is identical from panel to panel, with regular borders.

By Carl Chapdelaine

Scene 1

Pickpocket’s gang (wearing his T-shirt with the logo of the Lac Saint-François-Xavier association) comes out of their hideout (a large burrow) after nightfall, by moonlight, in front of Montfort Pavilion (the former church) in Montfort. It is the month of May and they happily welcome spring. Maggie, the female moose (without antlers), is also there, at the edge of the woods, next to the Pavilion.
Scene 2
Suddenly, a cloud of “little black flies” swoops down on the gang. You can also make out a swarm of these mosquitoes going after the female moose’s muzzle (without antlers). Each raccoon tries to crush the mosquitoes with their hands (feet) while scrambling to take shelter in their large burrow. They are not smiling. (We see the raccoons running away from the Pavilion.)
Scene 3
We see the raccoons come out of their hideout (large burrow) at daybreak. They are disguised as human kids, their heads hidden under their mosquito net. They have two wheelbarrows and are heading to Green Day.
Scene 4
The raccoons are in front of a table at Green Day, where an exhibitor is selling carnivorous plants. They buy all her plants and put them in their wheelbarrows (to bring them to Montfort Pavilion).
Scene 5
When night falls again, the gang, with their heads covered by their mosquito net, plants all the carnivorous plants near the bushes and shrubs surrounding the area.
Scene 6
It is dawn, and we see lots of little black flies feeding on the carnivorous plants planted around the Pavilion and getting caught when the plants’ leaves close over them. Pickpocket and his gang can remove their masks, while Maggie regains her faint smile.

Translation by ChatGPT

By Carl Chapdelaine

Hidden behind a baby stroller at the back of the Montfort Pavilion, Pickpocket attends an introductory evening on observing the starry sky.

That same evening, in his gang’s hideout, he shares with his companions his plan to put what he has just learned to good use and to observe the sky that night in search of the North Star and the most famous constellations.

The astronomer who had just presented the basics of nighttime sky observation had left his instruments in the hall, planning to retrieve them the next morning. A perfect opportunity for the gang to use them for their own purposes.

Outside the Pavilion, it is a night of a full moon and complete darkness. The sky is entirely covered with stars; the spectacle is breathtaking. Several constellations can clearly be seen: the Big and Little Dipper, Leo, Pisces, and others.
Pickpocket, wearing his T-shirt with the lake association’s logo, uses an app on his cellphone to identify the stars.

 Nimble-Paws and Chubby-Cheeks are busy setting up the telescope and aiming it at the sky. Another raccoon uses binoculars specially designed for sky observation, while a fifth uses a star finder.

Suddenly, the Raccoon constellation appears outlined in a corner of the sky. The gang bursts with joy.

Scenes
Scene 1: We are in the Pavilion hall, filled with people seated, with the astronomer at the podium, in front of the screen and the astronomy instruments. Pickpocket is hidden behind the baby stroller.
Scene 2: We are in the hideout, and Pickpocket shares his plan with the gang.
Scene 3: The gang returns to the Pavilion and “borrows” the astronomy instruments.
Scene 4: The gang is outside the Pavilion, in total darkness under a star-filled sky. The raccoons set up their equipment under Pickpocket’s direction.
Scene 5: The instruments are pointed toward the sky. Pickpocket, cellphone in hand, indicates the location of the North Star.
Scene 6: The Raccoon constellation appears outlined in a corner of the sky. The gang rejoices.

By Carl Chapdelaine

Pickpocket and his partner, Molly, tell the story of great-grandparents who wanted to hop a train to visit relatives in Lac-des-Seize-Île’s.
They asked their beaver friends, Chiseltooth and Flat-Tail, to quickly build a dam just past the Newaygo bridge so the steam train would stop, and they could quietly climb onto the roof of the locomotive.
The beaver couple builds the small dam and heads back home.
The next day, the train makes an emergency stop just past the bridge, barely in time to avoid hitting the dam.
While the conductor, the fireman, and the engineer tear down the dam, the raccoon couple quietly climbs onto the roof of the locomotive and hides behind the sand dome and the steam dome…
The train heads toward Lac-des-Seize-Île’s.
The relatives are at the Lac-des-Seize-Île’s station, hidden behind a cart, and will quietly help the two raccoons climb down from the roof of the locomotive.
Note: Build 6 panels for the 6 scenes. I’ll place them in the Pickpocket Adventures template and add my captions.) (ChatGPT will spit out the illustration all wonky; it’ll take me hours and hours to put it in order…)

Script

Scene 1
Pickpocket and Molly, his partner, meet their beaver friends, Chiseltooth and his partner, Flat-Tail, at the end of the Newaygo trestle bridge. (Location as in the image, but without the locomotive.) Pickpocket explains their plan to travel to visit relatives.

Scene 2
The beavers have built a dam right on the railroad tracks, just past the Newaygo bridge. They wish the raccoon couple a good trip and shake their hands. There is still no locomotive.

Scene 3
The locomotive makes an emergency stop in front of the dam, just past the bridge. The two raccoons are hidden behind bushes, their luggage (like backpacks, etc.) beside them.

Scene 4
The conductor, the fireman, and the engineer have gotten out of the locomotive and are taking the dam apart. Pickpocket and Molly use the moment to quietly climb onto the roof of the locomotive and hide—along with their luggage—behind the steam dome and the sand dome.

Scene 5
We see the train racing along the tracks through dense forest between Newaygo and Lac-des-Seize-Île’s. The raccoons are clinging behind the domes on the locomotive.

Scene 6
The train arrives and stops at the Lac-des-Seize-Île’s station. The raccoon couple waiting for them, hidden behind the station, comes out to greet them and quietly helps them climb down from the locomotive. (See attached photo of Lac-des-Seize-Île’s.)

By Carl Chapdelaine

Sharp-Eye, lookout for Pickpocket’s raccoon gang, catches sight of a wolverine stalking the shadows near their den. The brute is all muscle, claws, and bad intent—more than enough to tear through a raccoon in seconds. Trapped inside, the gang huddles in fear while the entrance stays barred. Their only hope is Stuffy Nose, sent to find their skunk ally, Stinktail. Slipping past the predator, he reaches her beside an overturned brown bin on the Aerobic Corridor. There, amid spilled scraps and scattered garbage, a plan takes shape: Stinktail has one weapon no beast can stand against.

Note: 6 scenes, in a square format, to be placed by me in my Pickpocket comic-strip template (Example: Coatis on a Visit).

Scene 1
From the mouth of the den, Sharp-Eye, lookout for the raccoons, spots a wolverine prowling through the underbrush, low to the ground and moving like a nightmare with claws. His eyes go wide. He whirls and bolts back inside.
Caption: Sharp-Eye, lookout for the raccoons, spots a wolverine creeping near the den and races back inside, warning the gang that danger is already at their door.

Scene 2
Inside the dim den, with the entrance jammed shut, Pickpocket—still wearing his lake association T-shirt—pulls the gang into a tight, anxious huddle. Faces tense, voices low, they listen as he names their one chance: Stinktail. Stuffy Nose is chosen to slip out and bring her back.
Caption: With the entrance blocked, Pickpocket rallies the frightened raccoons and sends Stuffy to fetch Stinktail, their only hope against the predator.

Scene 3
Dodging danger by a whisker, Stuffy gives the wolverine the slip and reaches Stinktail near an overturned brown bin on the Aerobic Corridor. Food litters the ground around them. Breathless, he warns her: a killer is waiting by the den.
Caption: Stuffy Nose slips past the wolverine and finds Stinktail by an overturned brown bin, breathlessly begging her to save the gang.

Scene 4
Disguised as a raccoon, Stinktail waits in plain sight near the den. Behind a tree, the wolverine watches, tense and hungry. Then it bursts from cover in a savage rush, hurling itself at what it thinks is easy prey.
Caption: Disguised as a raccoon, Stinktail waits outside the den while the hidden wolverine lunges, convinced it has found easy prey.

Scene 5
At the last possible second, Stinktail spins. Tail high. Back turned. A blast of musk hits the wolverine full in the face like a toxic cloud. It skids back in horror, pawing at its snout, then tears off into the trees. It will not be coming back.
Caption: At the perfect moment, Stinktail unleashes her terrible spray, sending the wolverine stumbling away in shock and defeat.

Scene 6
Safe at last, Pickpocket welcomes Stinktail into the den as the gang gathers around in gratitude. Every raccoon is wearing a protective mask over its snout—just in case.
Caption: Back in the den, the grateful raccoons thank Stinktail warmly—while keeping their protective masks firmly over their noses.

Translation by Copilot.

By Carl Chapdelaine

Mollie has given birth to four kits. Pickpocket, wearing his Lake Association T-shirt and bursting with excitement, hardly knows where to turn. The whole gang is celebrating. Nimble-Paws managed to gather mint leaves from Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s fenced garden; the den was scented with them to mark the occasion... and because their skunk friend, Stinktail, promised to come congratulate the parents! (Pink and blue balloons outside the den would never do. They would alert predators, and raccoons cannot tell those colors apart anyway.)

Safe and warm, huddled against their mother, the little ones—still blind—are already beginning to explore their surroundings. They still will not be allowed outside, though, when danger can come from every direction: fox, snake, or owl.

Freeloader managed to steal a few muffins from Denyse in the Montfort pavilion, which was open for Diana’s Coffee Group meeting. He will offer them to Mollie, since muffins are her favorite treat.

Pickpocket is preparing a few boards showing how to pry open a brown bin and a composter, or slip into Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s fenced garden to collect the makings of a balanced meal. The little ones will soon open their eyes and, still confined to the den, will have to take their first lessons there. Our species, after all, knows how to outsmart the most complex security systems and remember the winning formula.

It is the big day... or rather, the big night! Mollie comes out of the den with her four little ones to teach them how to put Pickpocket’s instructions to good use: destination, Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s garden. Sharp-Eye goes ahead as scout, while Pickpocket keeps watch. One section of the overhead wire mesh is faulty; a stick will be enough to make an opening. Excellent climbers, they all make their way into the garden. Mollie shows her young which vegetables and berries to choose. A few earthworms will also be part of the harvest. Everyone tries to get their fair share.

A year has gone by; it is the day of the great departure. Now grown, Pickpocket’s four offspring hug their tearful parents, salute the rest of the gang, and each head off toward a future territory—always along the shore of Lake Saint-François-Xavier or near the Corridor aérobique. One of them will settle near Denyse’s garden, the easiest to reach and the most coveted, with that scent of muffins forever in the air. But the wooded area around it is especially dangerous, and a wolverine has already been spotted there.

Scene 1
Inside the den, on her low bed, Mollie lies with the four kits she has just given birth to. Their eyes are closed, yet they are already exploring. Pickpocket, wearing his Lake Association T-shirt and wild with excitement, hardly knows where to turn. The gang is celebrating.
Scene 2
We see Nimble-Paws, who managed to get in and gather mint leaves from Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s fenced garden (to perfume the den).
Scene 3
Inside the den, Pickpocket prepares a few boards for the kits, showing how to pry open a brown bin and a composter, or break into Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s fenced garden.
Scene 4
It is the big day... actually, the big night! Mollie leaves the den with her four little ones to teach them how to use Pickpocket’s instructions: destination, Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s garden. Sharp-Eye goes ahead as scout, while Pickpocket watches the surroundings.
Scene 5
Beyond Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s greenhouse, one section of the overhead wire mesh is faulty; a stick will be enough to make an opening. Excellent climbers, they all get into the garden. Mollie shows her little ones which vegetables and berries to choose. A few earthworms will also be part of the harvest. Everyone looks for their share.
Scene 6
(At the den entrance) A year has gone by; it is the day of the great departure. Now grown, Pickpocket’s four offspring hug their tearful parents, salute the rest of the gang, and each head off toward a future territory.

By Carl Chapdelaine

Captions (20 words max)
1. Mollie has four kits! Pickpocket, their dad, is thrilled. The whole gang is celebrating!
2. Nimble-Paws gathers mint to freshen the den. Stinktail has promised to come congratulate the proud parents...
3. Pickpocket shows how to open a brown bin... or crack Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s fenced garden!
4. Mollie leads her four little ones to the garden. Sharp-Eye scouts ahead; Pickpocket keeps watch.
5. Mollie shows which veggies and berries to pick. Even a few earthworms make the menu!
6. A year has passed. Now grown, the four young ones leave their tearful parents and wave goodbye to the gang.
Jean-Pierre and Agnès’s Garden
Translation by Copilot

Chapardeur and his gang are expecting a visit from cousins from South America: coatis. Our raccoon friends need to stock up on supplies so they can welcome them properly.
Scene 1
Chapardeur and his gang are in their hideout, getting ready for the visitors’ arrival. “We need to clean up, set up three bunk beds, go get some food…”
Scene 2
Chapardeur and his gang head to the Aerobic Corridor to check the brown bins; there are always a few that are overflowing or not closed properly. They find fruit, vegetables, leftover chicken, pizza, and more.
Scene 3
The coatis arrive in front of the hideout earlier than expected, in the late afternoon. Inside the hideout, the raccoons, still lying down, are startled and hurry to finish cleaning and set up the three bunk beds.
Scene 4
At the end of the day, a conversation under the stars near the Montfort pavilion
Sharing stories: jungle vs. village
A calm moment that contrasts with the chaos of the day
Scene 5
The next day, in the late afternoon, the raccoons and coatis face off in a soccer match in front of the Montfort pavilion.
A typical coati trick: agility and a distracting tail
A raccoon ruse: teamwork and strategy
The game ends in a tie.
Scene 6
Two days later, early in the morning, outside the hideout, it is time to say goodbye.
An object is exchanged: for example, an exotic fruit for a “treasure” found in the bins.
A promise: “We’ll come back… but next time, to our place!”

Background
In an interview with Le Devoir, Patricia Hamel, of Saint-Hippolyte, explained that for the past three years she has made a habit of looking inside large curbside compost bins during her long walks to check whether a raccoon might be trapped inside. Last year alone, she says she found about fifty live raccoons and at least twenty that had died.

Story
Climber, one of Pickpocket and Mollie's offspring, has settled near kilometre 12 of the Aerobic Corridor at Lake Saint-François-Xavier, close enough to pay his parents a visit whenever he wishes.

That day, he spots a large compost bin standing beside a tree, its lid left slightly open. Even from a distance, the delicious smell drifting from it promises a magnificent feast.

In no time at all, he climbs the tree and leaps into the bin, right in the middle of all those tempting leftovers.

Climber quickly stuffs himself. Now it is time to leave and find a quiet place to digest his meal.

But things do not go as planned. Despite all his efforts, his claws cannot grip the smooth plastic walls. The bin shakes as he throws himself desperately against its sides. Suddenly, the lid slams shut. Panic sets in.

After countless attempts to escape under the blazing sun, the young raccoon grows weaker and weaker. He pants, struggles for breath and begins thinking about Mollie and Pickpocket. Will his desperate cries — "Crroq! Crroq!" — be heard by another raccoon?

Instead, it is a passerby who hears the strange sounds coming from inside the large bin. As she walks over, she discovers the frightened little prisoner. Without hesitation, she gently tips the bin onto its side.

Frozen for a brief moment by the sight of this unfamiliar human, Little Climber gathers his remaining strength... then bolts into the forest as fast as he can.

That day will remain etched in the young raccoon's memory. He has learned that not all humans are enemies.

For residents, the lesson is just as simple: never leave a bin leaning against a tree, a post or anything else that allows a raccoon to climb onto it. Always close the lid securely and, if you notice a bin has been left open, take a few seconds to check that no animal is trapped inside before collection day. A quick glance could save a life.

By Carl Chapdelaine; revised by ChatGPT, July 19, 2026
This story was inspired by a real situation brought to public attention by Patricia Hamel of Saint-Hippolyte in an interview published by Le Devoir in July 2026.

At dawn on a summer day at Lake Saint‑François‑Xavier. Pickpocket and Molly (Pickpocket’s partner) want to catch a few fish for their dinner.

(We see a section of the lake, with a few cottages along the shore and Mount Chapeau‑de‑Napoléon in the distance.)

Illustration: They have put on their fishing boots and have all their gear (rods, bucket, landing net, earthworms, etc.) and are launching a children’s rowboat that they have “borrowed” from a lakeside resident.

They climb into the boat, sitting face to face, each with a pair of oars.

Illustration: They do not master the art of rowing, and each rows in a different direction: the boat does not move…

They finally manage to row in the same direction and move out onto the lake. They pass a pair of loons with two chicks, one of which is riding on the back of one of the birds.

They drop anchor, set down their oars, and begin to fish.

A large lake trout bites Molly’s hook; but the fish pulls the boat along, and the raccoon is unable to pull it out of the water.

Molly, dragged by the fish, falls into the water.
→ “In this test of strength, who will come out on top?”

By Carl Chapdelaine

Translation by Copilot

Raccoon Rabies and Vaccine Baits
Rabies is a fatal viral disease that can affect all mammals, including humans. It is transmitted primarily through the saliva of an infected animal, particularly through a bite.
To slow the spread of raccoon rabies, the Québec government distributes vaccine baits intended for raccoons, skunks, and foxes. These small packets, which the characters initially mistake for strange ravioli, contain an orally administered vaccine. When an animal bites into the bait, the vaccine comes into contact with the tissues inside its mouth.
In 2026, vaccination operations are taking place mainly in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie. No vaccine baits are yet being distributed in the Laurentians. Authorities ask people not to handle the baits and to report animals that are dead, disoriented, paralyzed, or unusually aggressive.
Restrictions may also prohibit the transportation or relocation of live raccoons and other wild animals outside affected areas, to prevent the disease from being carried into new territories.
The Setting
The adventure begins on the shore of the Pavillon Basin at Lake Saint François Xavier. The panoramic scene shows the lake, the forested mountains, and the opposite shore of the narrows. The old dike, where the gang’s den is concealed, stands at the head of the basin.
Flash, the passenger pigeon, reports news he heard in the Eastern Townships. An inset shows a raccoon devouring a vaccine bait on the shore of Lake Memphremagog, near a sign intended for humans.
The gang then finds a similar packet near a dock, where a human could plausibly have left it. Whiz consults an official notice and a map of Québec to explain the object’s true nature.
The action then moves to a forest trail near Mont Tremblant and later to an orchard in the Lower Laurentians. The regional council is held beneath a wooden shelter, around a map of the Upper Laurentians, the Heart of the Laurentians, and the Lower Laurentians.
The final scene takes place in the orchard at dusk. Longview spots an animal-control van driving past a no-entry sign. Through its rear window, he can make out several cages and a captive raccoon.
Characters and Distinguishing Features
• Pickpocket wears a white T-shirt bearing the logo of the Lake Saint François Xavier Association.
• Molly, who is smaller than Pickpocket, wears a blue loop around her neck.
• Moocher frequently picks his teeth with a short, sharpened twig.
• Whiz, the youngest, wears a small certificate-shaped charm and often raises a paw to emphasize her explanations.
• Marathon wears a red headband.
• Apple Muncher, the delegate from the Lower Laurentians, carries a partly eaten apple and wears an apple blossom behind her ear.
• Robin Hood, the delegate from the Upper Laurentians, wears a feathered hat.
• Longview carries binoculars.
• Flash is a male passenger pigeon.
Story Outline
• At the Pavillon Basin, Flash reports that humans are distributing strange little “ravioli” to raccoons in the Eastern Townships. An inset shows a raccoon eating one of the baits at Lake Memphremagog.
• Near a dock, Moocher discovers a packet resembling the ones described by Flash. Pickpocket tells him not to touch it and suggests consulting Whiz.
• After examining an official notice and a map, Whiz explains that the packets are vaccine baits used against rabies. She points out that none are yet being distributed in the Laurentians.
• Pickpocket decides to summon representatives from the region’s other areas. Marathon sets out to deliver invitations to the delegates from the Upper and Lower Laurentians.
• Marathon passes near Mont Tremblant, which happens to tremble just as he goes by, and then reaches an orchard in the Lower Laurentians. Robin Hood and Apple Muncher accept the invitation.
• Meeting in council, Pickpocket and the delegates observe that rabies is drawing closer to the Laurentians. Apple Muncher proposes appointing a lookout to watch newcomers arriving from the south.
• Longview takes up his post in an orchard. There, however, he spots the exterminator’s van previously encountered in Maximum Alert. The vehicle ignores a prohibition and is carrying several cages, one of which contains a raccoon. The discovery heralds a new threat.

Final Comic-Strip Text
Panel 1 — Panoramic Scene
Speech Balloon
Flash:
“Humans in the Eastern Townships are handing out strange little ravioli to raccoons!”
Inset Caption
“Meanwhile, at Lake Memphremagog…”
Caption
Flash brought the gang some very strange news from the Eastern Townships.
Panel 2
Speech Balloons
Pickpocket:
“Don’t touch it! Let’s ask Whiz what it is.”
Moocher:
“Free ravioli for raccoons! Look, there’s even one right here!”
Caption
Near a dock, Moocher made a discovery.
Panel 3
Speech Balloons
Pickpocket:
“We must warn the other gangs!”
Whiz:
“They’re vaccine baits against rabies. But none are being distributed in the Laurentians.”
Caption
But here was a packet that looked just like one.
Panel 4
Speech Balloons
Pickpocket:
“Marathon, invite the delegates from the Lower and Upper Laurentians!”
Flash:
“I was just about to offer to deliver them…”
Caption
Marathon was already on his way.
Panel 5
Upper Caption
“In the Upper Laurentians…”
Speech Balloon
Marathon:
“Even Mont Tremblant is trembling!”
Lower Caption
“Then, in the Lower Laurentians…”
Speech Balloon
Apple Muncher:
“I’m coming!”
Caption
That takes care of Robin Hood and Apple Muncher.
Panel 6
Speech Balloons
Pickpocket:
“Rabies is getting closer to the Laurentians. We must be prepared.”
Apple Muncher:
“Let’s appoint someone to watch the newcomers arriving from the south.”
Caption
The three raccoons agreed on a plan.
Panel 7
Speech Balloon
Longview:
“That van… It isn’t allowed in here!”
Caption
But Longview soon spotted a far more troubling visitor…

Concept, text, and layout by Carl Chapdelaine. Story and illustrations developed with the assistance of ChatGPT. August 8, 2026.

After his species was driven to extinction by humans, Flash was a passenger pigeon hatched from a clutch brought back to life in the laboratories of Environment and Climate Change Canada, according to a news release dated April 1, 2019. He had escaped from the laboratory and travelled several thousand kilometres before settling at Lake Saint-François-Xavier. When summer ended, instinct would lead him south to the United States for the winter, as it had all passenger pigeons of old.

Pickpocket’s band had spotted this unfamiliar bird streaking through the sky at remarkable speed. They managed to make contact with Flash and discovered that the passenger pigeon possessed remarkable intelligence and that they could occasionally help one another.

Whiz — Bollée in French, a Quebec term for a person of exceptional intelligence — was the daughter of Pickpocket and Mollie. She had established her own den near Newaygo Bridge but had travelled to the Saint-Jérôme area for advanced training. She hoped to earn a certificate in human research, specializing in the tricks humans use to get rid of raccoons.

Pickpocket and Mollie wanted to know whether everything was going well for Whiz. They asked Flash to deliver a message to her and bring back news of their young prodigy.

Flash quickly reached the Saint-Jérôme raccoon colony and found Whiz. Everything was proceeding as planned, and her professor could not praise the young raccoon highly enough. The message she entrusted to Flash was meant to reassure her parents, even though she already missed them.

Flash completed his mission and reported back to Pickpocket and Mollie. He was then seen shooting straight into the sky to circle the lake and make sure no birds of prey were hunting nearby.

Breakdown into Six Scenes
1. A Bird Back from the Dead Above the Lake
Flash speeds across the sky above Lake Saint-François-Xavier. Pickpocket and several members of his band look up in astonishment.
Caption:
“Gone for more than a century, the passenger pigeon had been brought back to life in a Canadian laboratory. Flash had escaped and settled at Lake Saint-François-Xavier.”
Pickpocket:
“What bird can fly so fast?”

2. An Exceptional Messenger
Flash is perched near the old Montfort dam, in front of Pickpocket and Mollie’s den.
Caption:
“The band had discovered that Flash possessed remarkable intelligence.”
Mollie:
“Our daughter Whiz, who lives near Newaygo Bridge, has gone to Saint-Jérôme to study. Could you check that she’s doing well?”
Flash:
“I’ll be there before sunset!”

3. The Saint-Jérôme Raccoon School
Whiz attends a class with several young raccoons. The blackboard displays drawings of garbage bins, fences, traps, lights and perhaps a human silhouette.
Caption:
“Whiz was working toward a certificate in human research, specializing in the methods humans use to keep raccoons away.”
Professor:
“Remember: to outsmart humans, you first have to understand their tricks!”
Whiz carefully takes notes.

4. Flash Finds Whiz
Flash arrives in Saint-Jérôme and finds Whiz outside the school. Her professor stands proudly beside her.
Professor:
“Whiz is my brightest student. She’ll become a leading expert on humans!”
Whiz, to Flash:
“Tell my parents I’m doing well… but I already miss them.”

5. The News Is Good
Back at the old Montfort dam, Flash delivers Whiz’s message to Pickpocket and Mollie.
Flash:
“Whiz is doing wonderfully. Her professor can’t praise her enough.”
Mollie:
“Our little prodigy!”
Pickpocket:
“We knew she was a whiz!”
The last line discreetly explains the meaning of her name to readers unfamiliar with the Quebec term bollée.

6. The Expert Returns to Newaygo
Some time later, Whiz returns with her certificate. Pickpocket and Mollie proudly welcome her home near Newaygo Bridge. Flash circles high above the double lake, watching for birds of prey.
Caption:
“Certificate earned, Whiz returned to her den near Newaygo Bridge, now the colony’s official expert on human behaviour.”
Whiz:
“Now I’m going to explain how humans think… if I can!”
Her final reservation provides a lighthearted ending: Whiz may have earned her certificate, but human behaviour might still be too strange to understand completely. It also opens the way for future adventures in which her new expertise will be put to the test.

Source of Inspiration
This adventure was inspired by an April Fools’ Day news release published on April 1, 2019 by Environment and Climate Change Canada, which playfully announced that the passenger pigeon had been brought back from extinction. We imagined that Flash, one of the birds created in the laboratory, escaped and settled at Lake Saint-François-Xavier.

Pickpocket’s gang tackles the potholes on Chemin-de-fer Road.
1.
It’s a mild summer night. By moonlight, Pickpocket’s gang arrives on Chemin-de-fer Road (the shared-use Aerobic Corridor).
Two wheelbarrows are overflowing with sand and gravel; the raccoons carry shovels and rakes.
(Give each raccoon a different facial expression.)
2.
Pickpocket, wearing his T-shirt with the lake association logo, directs the crew:
“Two of you on that hole… and the rest of you, start on this one!”
3.
A little farther down the road, Nimble-Paws uses a surveyor’s theodolite mounted on its tripod, while Chubby-Cheeks holds the surveying rod in the middle of the road.
Meanwhile, the other members of the crew fill two potholes with sand and gravel.
4.
Magalie, the female moose (without antlers), arrives on the road and watches the work.
The holes have now been filled, and the wheelbarrows are empty.
5.
Four raccoons harness Magalie.
She pulls a large log that rolls slowly over the repairs, compacting the sand and gravel in the holes.
6.
The work is finished.
The road is now smooth and free of potholes.
Sweaty but proud, the raccoons congratulate one another:
“Mission accomplished!”

Captions (preview)
1. It’s summer. The raccoon crew arrives on Chemin-de-fer Road (the shared-use Aerobic Corridor) by moonlight, with two wheelbarrows filled with sand and gravel, along with shovels, rakes and other tools. (Give each raccoon a different facial expression.)
2. Pickpocket, wearing his T-shirt with the lake association logo, gives instructions to his crew: “Two of you on that hole,” etc.
3. A little farther down the road, Nimble-Paws uses the surveyor’s theodolite on its tripod, while Chubby-Cheeks, standing in the middle of the road where the potholes are, holds the surveying rod. Meanwhile, the other members of the crew fill two potholes to overflowing with sand and gravel.
4. Magalie, the female moose (without antlers), arrives on the road and watches the work. The holes have been filled, and the wheelbarrows are empty.
5. Four raccoons have harnessed Magalie. They have her pull a large log over the sand and gravel filling the holes to compact it all.
6. The work is finished, and the road is smooth and free of potholes. Sweaty but pleased, the crew congratulates one another.

A New Adventure of Pickpocket

At the end of September, the forests surrounding Lake Saint François Xavier turn red, orange and gold. It is also the beginning of hunting season. From the Montfort dam, Longview notices a pickup parked near the Pavilion. An enormous moose head is strapped to its hood.

The discovery causes an uproar among the gang. The raccoons immediately think of Maggie, who has befriended the residents of Montfort, but also of Great Antlers, the moose who once rescued Bozo and earned their friendship.

 Pickpocket decides that they must watch over them.

Longview is assigned to keep an eye on the area. With his binoculars around his neck, he sets off along the Aerobic Corridor, accompanied by several members of the gang. In a section still close to the village, but already deep in the forest, he spots an orange sign fastened to a tree some distance from the trail. The image of an armed hunter leaves no doubt.

The Corridor itself remains busy and relatively safe; the danger lies farther into the woods. But Maggie, who now enjoys following hikers and approaching the homes of Montfort, could easily wander away from the trail without realizing the risk.

The raccoons find her near the Corridor. She is astonished to learn that humans hunt moose. Pickpocket reminds her of one of the most important laws of the wild: even when humans seem friendly, animals must always remain wary of them.

Because Maggie has no antlers, she appears to be in less danger than Great Antlers. Still, in the excitement of a hunt, a mistake could happen. The gang therefore decides to make her immediately recognizable. Chubby Cheeks has brought back a wide orange armband like those worn by hunters. The raccoons attempt to fasten it around one of Maggie’s front legs.

The armband, designed for a human arm, immediately slides down to her hoof. Fine Paws suggests fastening it around her neck, but it looks like a tiny necktie. After several attempts, the raccoons enlarge it with an extra strip of orange fabric and turn it into a highly visible collar.

Meanwhile, Longview continues his watch. Perched on a stump or in a tree overlooking the trail, he must signal the approach of anything suspicious. At the first sight of a hunter’s vehicle, he will sound the alarm so that Maggie can return toward Montfort and Great Antlers can retreat into a more isolated part of the forest.

Pickpocket even considers setting up a proper warning network: Longview with his binoculars, Fine Paws beside the Corridor, Chubby Cheeks near the village, and a series of agreed-upon birdcalls to carry messages between them. The arrangement seems very serious to the raccoons, although their signals are so complicated that no one can remember which one means “hunter,” “hiker,” or simply “red pickup.”

In the end, Maggie agrees to remain on the well-travelled trail and stay closer to Montfort. She accompanies the gang toward the village, proudly wearing her peculiar armband-turned-collar. Longview brings up the rear, repeatedly turning around to scan the forest through his binoculars.

The raccoons’ warning system cannot, of course, eliminate the dangers of hunting. But Pickpocket is certain of one thing: when an animal has rescued one of their own or earned their friendship, the gang never abandons it.

The Adventures of Pickpocket Moose Hunting?
Panel 1
Scene: From the dam at Lake Saint-François-Xavier, Longview uses his binoculars to examine a pickup parked near the Montfort Pavilion. The magnified view reveals a moose head strapped to the hood.
Caption: From the dam, Longview spots a pickup parked near the Pavilion.
Longview: “A moose head… on the hood!”

Panel 2
Scene: Alarmed by the discovery, Pickpocket and his friends hurry along the wooded Aerobic Corridor. They find Maggie standing farther ahead on the trail.
Caption: Worried, the gang immediately sets out to find Maggie.
Pickpocket: “There she is!”

Panel 3
Scene: Longview examines the surrounding woods through his binoculars and discovers a hunting sign on a distant tree. Maggie is shocked to learn what it means, while Pickpocket turns toward her gravely.
Caption: A special permit is required
to hunt antlerless moose here.
Maggie: “Humans kill moose?”
Pickpocket: “You forgot the laws of nature!”

Panel 4
Scene: Pickpocket advises Maggie to remain close to the village. Meanwhile, another raccoon takes a bright orange scarf from their bag and offers it to her.
Caption: Less at risk, Maggie still needs protection.
Pickpocket: “Stay near the village!”
Raccoon holding the scarf: “And wear this!”

Panel 5
Scene: Pickpocket and his friends tie the orange scarf around Maggie’s neck so that no hunter can mistake her for a target.
Caption: Her friends tie on an orange scarf
to prevent a hunter’s mistake.
Maggie: “Does it suit me?”
Pickpocket: “Perfect!”

Panel 6
Scene: Wearing her orange scarf, Maggie stays on the well-travelled Corridor and follows her raccoon friends toward Montfort. Three walkers can be seen farther ahead.
Caption: Maggie stays on the well-travelled trail, away from hunters.
Maggie: “I’ll follow you to Montfort!”

Concept, text and layout by Carl Chapdelaine. Story and illustrations developed with the assistance of ChatGPT.