My son has been asking about getting a hamster ever since he started reading the Humphrey series at school. A few weeks into the book the school put together a city wide scavenger hunt…Of course one of the stops was a local pet store. For the sake of the assignment, we went in…& Aiden’s sweet begging made me weak enough to go look…
He asked the store clerk to hold one of the little hamsters…when asked which – Aiden sure-footedly said “the one with the big thing on his face, the hole in his ear + the bit off tail.” The clerk said “oh no, you don’t want that one…How about this fluffy one?” Aiden insisted. “No, that one is the one I need.”
He held little “Carl” close & spoke sweet nothings into his injured ear. I told the clerk the mass on his face needed treatment…I asked if it might be cancer… With a look in his eye kinda like – “lady, this is snake food” he said to me that he’d have to ask the manager about getting a vet appointment.
Even though we were not in the market for a new pet I made a vow to myself that I’d follow up on it the next day for the little guy’s sake.
We got in the car and I asked Aiden why he was so connected to the hamster with all the ailments. He said with a heavy heart that it is because no one else will pick him because he’s all damaged and ugly, and that he knows the other hamsters beat him up. He followed that tearjerker up with – and if he has cancer, I still want him – so I can make his last little bit of time full of love like you did with that squirrel mommy.”
… That was it. Big. Fat. Tears. This thing was coming home with us.
I went back the next day and pressured them to get Carl to the vet and a super nice employee helped me push that through. But we had another surprise coming…Carl … AKA Carla had 12 babies overnight… 😳 (shhh don’t tell Aiden, he still thinks she’s a he – he’s really bent on having a best guy buddy!)
It’s been a few weeks of constant calls, check ups, visits etc… But we are proud to say that Carl is home, cancer free, abscess free & enjoying his new luxury pad and endless snuggles.
Welcome to the family Carl. You’ve already taught us so much about true love.
Robin Schulze
Editor’s note:
Aiden is a 2nd grade student at Green Valley Elementary in Parma.
Northfield Elementary is also reading the Humphrey Series of books.
