musings of a practicing momma: charlie

Saturday, March 28, 2009

charlie

Feeling sad and missing our rat Charlie. He passed away this afternoon. The kids and I spent the morning and some of the afternoon holding him and keeping him warm and snuggled in a towel and blanket, comfort and companionship during his transition from this way of being. We talked about how much we enjoyed our time with him and how much we will miss him. I hope to bury him this evening during a break in the rain.

So many things to remember- when we brought him home from the rat rescue place, how he ran under the car before we could get in the car, how we didn't know how much rats really liked to sit on your shoulder, Eva dressing up in her "Charlie outfit" to protect her skin from scratches and tickles, nearly losing him when Eva took him outside and recovering him when he heard me calling him from the other side of the fence!, how much he liked to share eggs in the morning and how our dog Jack begged for food from him, how he turned away from us when he was eating something particularly yummy, how he was out running around once and found Eva's malted milk balls and opened up the container and started taking the pieces of candy one after the other and hiding them behind the bookcase, how he squeaked and wouldn't let me pick him up when he had food to eat in his mouth, how he bumbled along, how high he could jump, how he gnawed at his cage bars to get our attention and let us know he wanted snackies, how he liked anything and everything to eat and how I could always share a snack with Charlie, particularly chocolate chips, how he could smell you opening a bag of potato chips from across the room.

As always I have appreciated spending time with another species, learning about the world from his perspective, as much as that is possible. I am grateful for his friendship and ratty ways and appreciate his ways of letting me know that he enjoyed my company as well. I remember when I knew that he had connected to us all as his family. I will miss his company and his love. No one but no one enjoys fine food like a rat! And who else can snuggle and fall asleep on the back of your neck while you knit...