It Has Been a Year

After doing a bit of sewing on Tuesday, I had to pack and tidy up because I won’t be sewing again for a few days and didn’t wish to leave my desk in a mess. I made sure that I ironed the pouch I made the other day before I packed away the iron and ironing board. It had been washed and looked wrinkled. Strangely I was fine then but half an hour or so later, I was sobbing in the bedroom. I have not cried for my Guinea Pig since February but now that the year is up since he passed away, things are becoming a little unbearable again.

My Guinea Pig died on the 7th of May 2008. It was a Wednesday. This year, the 7th of May falls on a Thursday. It was great that M was home yesterday. Having him around was truly appreciated.

I don’t really want to blog about my Guinea Pig’s final hours. It cuts to the quick just remembering how he struggled and how stupid I was not knowing what to do other than promising him that we would take him to the Vet in the morning. I just want to remember him as a dear friend.

Someone like me does not make friends easily. It’s a wonder why M hung around. Most humans would find knowing someone like me requires too much effort on their part. Friendship with a pet is much easier, more predictable. There is no need to have to constantly figure out if I missed something. It’s just less complex because most humans are super good at beating around the bush. My Guinea Pig accepted me pretty much from day one. He never judged me. He was his friendly self most of the time. Sure he had his moody moments but this only happened if he was annoyed by loud neighbours monkeying around outside our apartment or if he heard the clanging of keys. Despite being a small mammal, he was capable of growling and it sounded like those little growlers inside traditional Teddy Bears. (Brrr…) My Guinea Pig also trusted me. In the Summer, we keep him clean and cool by giving him baths. After he had been given a ‘blow-wave’, he would come snuggling up to my foot or M’s foot before wandering off to re-discover the bathroom. I would react by squealing while wondering why he would want to snuggle up to someone like me at the same time. I really missed how he used to greet us with much fanfare when we came home from work or outing. He would squeak loudly long before we even reached our front door and as soon as we got in, we could hear him running around excitedly inside his cage. If I approached his cage first, he would climb up the sides to greet me up close but if M approached him first, he might play peek-a-boo by running in and out of his igloo or cave. Even if one of us was home, he would greet the other one with the same fanfare like he had missed him or I so much. On particularly happy days, he also added his version of the ‘Popcorn Dance’.

My Guinea Pig had two amazing abilities. Other Guinea Pigs might behave the same but I am not sure. 5:00 pm was Din-Din time. He was very punctual and only ever got confused whenever the clock was changed but he would soon be back to being punctual again after a few days of readjustment! He would start calling out for his food from 5:00pm but sometimes he didn’t get fed till later because no one was home or if someone was hiding from him because of pure laziness. If someone was home, he would squeak until he got his needs met. LOL. The other ability had something to do with what might have been his dream to be a guard dog. From the comfort of his cage, he was able to predict that the person or people outside the front door was/were neither of us. If it was us, he would greet as mentioned before. If it was someone else, he was more than likely to growl at them. Neighbours from a specific apartment got growled at a lot. LOL.

I sobbed for a good half an hour or so in the bedroom on Tuesday. I had a shower before returning to the bed to wallow some more. Sensing that I was about to start crying again, I dragged myself to the living room and turned on the TV to find that I had missed the first half of a documentary about the lion named Christian. Of course I cried some more as I watched the scenes of the guys’ reunion with the gorgeous lion. I am not very religious but if there is such a thing as a heaven, do you think my Guinea Pig would recognise me when I go look for him someday?