Illustration Friday - Sacrifice

I live in a rural area with many small country roads. Often, while driving on a particularly long, straight stretch of road with no other cars in sight, a chipmunk will jump out of the bushes and dive under the front wheels of my car. About one time in ten I hear a heart-sinking little thump as he goes on to chipmunk heaven. (Sorry, Chippy!)

But why, when there hasn't been a car past in hours (possibly days) do they jump out right in front of my car? One might hypothesize that it's because the noise of the car startles them. But the animals around here are so accustomed to the sounds of civilization this seems unlikely to me. The only remaining, logical explanation is that it's some sort of a sacrificial rodent ritual. Could this little chippy be ensuring a good harvest of acorns for the rest of the chipmunk community? I like to think so.

And then again, maybe I'm just a little woozy from the heat and having trouble thinking of something for this week's Illustration Friday topic!