United States
Daughter and SIL are pet lovers. Three kids, two dogs, three cats, and two gerbils. One of the cats is relatively new to the family. He has been extremely mischevious. They can no longer leave a door open to a bathroom or he unrolls an entire roll of TP on the floor. Daughter had to remove the paper towels under the kitchen cabinets after he unrolled those a couple times.
Friday night, daughter fell asleep in front of a late night movie. SIL and grandkids still sound asleep in their beds when she began to come to Saturday morning. In a waking stupor, thought she spied something odd on the living room carpet... a few feet from where she had slept on the couch. Sans glasses, she thought the new cat must have found a mouse. Once glasses were in place, she made a startling realization. The "body" in the middle of the living room was "Cocoa"... one of the gerbils. Around the corner, in the hallway, was the other gerbil. Yep! The new cat had gone from destroying paper products to removal of object of shared affection.
She woke her husband in a state of panic. The dispensed gerbils were disposed of before the kids woke. Now, how do we explain the facts of life and death to the three kids?? Hmmm...
SIL makes a quick run to town and to a couple pet stores. Finds two gerbils with identical markings as Cocoa and Blackie. Sneaks the newly acquired gerbils into the residence cage left behind by the two who met their demise. Markings identical. New gerbils slightly smaller. Kids won't notice.
The 5 year old was the first to leave Saturday morning cartoons behind and make a visit to the gerbils' cage. First words.... "Dad! Did you give the gerbils a haircut? They look smaller!" When the 8 year old went to see, he was not at all to be sold on the idea that something drastic had not happened to Cocoa and Blackie. Finally, the admission had to be made and the fact explained that Cocoa and Blackie had gone to heaven and been replaced by new acquisitions. After dreading the explanation, the kids took it in stride and went back to find the channel that had "I Carly" on. Daughter and SIL much more distraught than any of the kids.
Bad day in the gerbil kingdom!!!
Friday night, daughter fell asleep in front of a late night movie. SIL and grandkids still sound asleep in their beds when she began to come to Saturday morning. In a waking stupor, thought she spied something odd on the living room carpet... a few feet from where she had slept on the couch. Sans glasses, she thought the new cat must have found a mouse. Once glasses were in place, she made a startling realization. The "body" in the middle of the living room was "Cocoa"... one of the gerbils. Around the corner, in the hallway, was the other gerbil. Yep! The new cat had gone from destroying paper products to removal of object of shared affection.
She woke her husband in a state of panic. The dispensed gerbils were disposed of before the kids woke. Now, how do we explain the facts of life and death to the three kids?? Hmmm...
SIL makes a quick run to town and to a couple pet stores. Finds two gerbils with identical markings as Cocoa and Blackie. Sneaks the newly acquired gerbils into the residence cage left behind by the two who met their demise. Markings identical. New gerbils slightly smaller. Kids won't notice.
The 5 year old was the first to leave Saturday morning cartoons behind and make a visit to the gerbils' cage. First words.... "Dad! Did you give the gerbils a haircut? They look smaller!" When the 8 year old went to see, he was not at all to be sold on the idea that something drastic had not happened to Cocoa and Blackie. Finally, the admission had to be made and the fact explained that Cocoa and Blackie had gone to heaven and been replaced by new acquisitions. After dreading the explanation, the kids took it in stride and went back to find the channel that had "I Carly" on. Daughter and SIL much more distraught than any of the kids.
Bad day in the gerbil kingdom!!!
