Letter #14

Dear Reader,

While I was sitting and thinking today, I made up a song about myself.

Everybody loves a Hamster,
That's why they're in love with me -
Splendid Shirley! Splendid Shirley!

And it's wrong to let my virtues
Be Unsung in melody -
Splendid Shirley! Splendid Shirley!

Among all the other Hamsters
A shining star I am -
Brains and beauty all in one.

Oh, I put the rest to shame
Beside my grace and subtlety.
Just think what I have done!
Splendid Shirley! Splendid Shirley!
A splendid Hamster I am!

Note to myself: Find out what clomp means. The Pets say it is something I do, so I suppose it is something rather clever.

Sometime later.....

Clearly seeing that I am a Hamster in Need of Constant Mental Stimulation, the Pets have regularly given me access to the Place Beyond. Mother told me that when I grew up I would have certain urges. Well, I must be grown up because I am having them now: I feel an overwhelming desire to colonize other places besides my own territory.

In the Place Beyond is an enormous object called a Sofa. Just under it, I found a hanging pouch, perfect for snoozing in. Tonight, when Sweetie let me out, I was well-prepared - with my own pouches quite stuffed with food. (Incidentally, my Pets are smarter than the ones at the Pet Shop. When Sweetie is near, all I have to do is sit on my rear legs and paw at the invisible wall and she picks me up and lets me out.) She tried to persuade me to unpack:

"Come on, Shirley, unload those pouches before we go."

I just sat and stared at her with a wistful expression - and she is so well-trained that she lifted me out anyway. Ooooo, I am so good at that! Frankly, I have the Pets wrapped around my little paw.

After several trips, I have built up quite a food stash under the Sofa. It makes me feel much more secure about being out there. I have also made the happy discovery that I can climb up so high inside the Sofa that I am impossible to dislodge, thump as They may. Also, the Pets find the heavy Sofa quite hard to move when they are trying to catch me. While they are dragging one end away from the wall, I have plenty of time to dart to the opposite end. I didn't realize the Pets could be so much fun.



<- Previous Letter          Next Letter ->