Maria+Antony

<> In Memory of Peaches

“Cling, cling.” A humid scent of wet moss and fish food filled the air. I wandered around the pet store, not even bothering to help my dad buy Omega One Freshwater Flakes for my goldfishes at home. The fish water on the Frieze carpet seeped into my sock, sending a chill up my spine. “Dad, can we go!?!” I was getting impatient. “One sec, honey,” he replied carefully reading the labels on the fish food container. Finding a way to entertain myself, I strolled over to the best aisle in the store_ the hamsters and guinea pigs. I observed the various types of hamsters, guinea pigs, and mice: charcoal black, coffee brown, snow white, and dust gray. Exercising in their wheels, sleeping under miniature blankets, sucking water from water bottles attached to the cages, nibbling on seeds the size of their heads, and even climbing the walls of the cages! They were so adorable!!! I adored hamsters the most. “Can I help you?” a store clerk asked patiently. She had long brown hair tied in a pony tail, and black Uggs that almost reached her knees. Her name tag said Carol. “Oh no, I’m not buying,” I replied, kind of depressed. “Oh ok,” Carol smiled and walked away. // Gosh, I wish I could buy one! // I thought, admiring the Syrian hamsters. I found my dad paying for the stupid fish food and I thought here was my chance. “Dad, can I please, please, please buy a hamster???” I whined. “Honey, we went over this a hundred times!!!” he started raising his voice. I think he got that from Grandma because, one day, she raised her voice so loud, they had to call security. My dad had to explain the whole story to the security, and he didn’t talk to any of us till we reached home. Ashamed and tired, Grandma had gone directly up to her room to change. Startled, Carol looked up from packaging the fish food. “Dad, please don’t raise your voice!” I said quietly, looking around if anyone heard. Luckily, there was only one elderly man in the store, probably the age of my grandpa, and he was too busy concentrating on what type of food he should buy for his mice. “Just come on, for me please!” I pleaded giving him the puppy dog eyes. “Just to look!” he demanded. I knew he would buy one hamster once he saw how precious it looked, so I yanked his arm to the heavenly aisle. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“See how beautiful they are!” I exclaimed. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Wow, you’re right!” my dad replied, amazed. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Both of us tried to find the perfect hamster and finally we did. It was a Syrian hamster, with a golden colored body and blackish brown ear tips. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“I guess it would be okay to buy one, I mean, it’s just one hamster,” my dad predicted. I hurried to get Carol. She asked us what type of cage we would like, and I picked out an enormous, hot pink cage that can be a mansion for a teeny hamster. I remembered back when I was in first grade, my best friend had gotten a cage similar to the one I picked out. It was for her guinea pig, sky blue and three stories high. Loving the cage so much, I squealed and jumped in the air as if it was mine. Not nearly as excited as me, my friend thought I was crazy but she understood how I felt. We also picked out a water bottle (it comes separate) and seeds for it to eat. I was bursting with excitement when Carol gently placed the furry, little creature into a cardboard box with a million holes punctured into the lid. I bolted to the car with the petite box in my hand, while my dad purchased the items. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Feeling the kick and scratch of the hamster in the box, I peeked into one of the holes and noticed her sitting down, exhausted of all the kicking. I laughed so hard! <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When the Toyota Camary drove into the garage, I hopped out and went inside the house, leaving my dad behind. Tenderly, I placed the box on the table, and grabbed the cage from my dad’s arm and placed it in the perfect spot. Cautiously, I lifted the lid of the box, and found the hamster resting in the corner! It looked like a ball of fur. Tucking my hands underneath the puny body, I cradled it over to the cage. My dad cut out part of a comfy, old towel and layed it down in the corner of the cage. I wished I could cradle it forever, but my dad told me to put it on top of the light pink towel. I closed the gate of the cage and tip-toed to the living room, my dad followed. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“What should we name her?” my dad asked making himself some coffee. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Peaches,” I replied quickly. It seemed perfect for her, since she was a female. She also smelled of peaches and had the same color. My grandma had a dog, once, when she was a little girl like me and she named hers after a fruit, too. The dog’s name was Papaya. Looking at the old, primal photos of Papaya brought me great joy. My grandma laughs now at the silly name but I adore it. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Ah, good choice,” my dad agreed while adding Splenda to his coffee. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When they came back from shopping and tae kwon do, I told the rest of the family. They loved the name, Peaches. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Days were wonderful with Peaches. I felt less lonely, in life. When she would climb the cage wall, I would tickle her belly and she would fall lightly onto the cage floor. I called her spider woman because of that. She would sleep under her pink blanket, drink water, eat seeds, pee, poop, and exercise, just like what a hamster should be like. I absolutely loved her. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">One day, her water bottle broke. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Should we get another one?” I asked, worried. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“She’ll be fine with this bowl,” Dad assured me, showing a tiny bowl he got from the top, wooden cabinet. After filling it up to the brim with water, he rapidly opened the cage gate and inserted the bowl inside before Peaches could scamper out. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Days passed and soon it was summer. Deciding to go to India, my mom packed up all of our belongings. Only my dad would be here to take care of Peaches and mainly because he has a job. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Ready?” she asked my sister, brother, and me. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Yupp!” we said in unison. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Good, then, let’s go!” my mom kissed my dad goodbye and brought her luggage into the car. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Bye, Dad!” my brother and sister yelled giving him a tight hug. “Bye, kids!” my dad replied. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was the last to leave. “Bye, dad, and make sure you take care of peaches, ok?” I warned. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Honey, I know, I know, just relax in India, relax, ok?” <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Ok, love you!” I waved goodbye and we were gone. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Soon my dad had to come join us in India, since his mother was bed ridden. He left a bunch of seeds and filled the water bowl for Peaches, before he came to the airport, thinking that everything would be okay, but it wasn’t. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As soon as we came back to our house in America, I jumped out of the taxi car and hurried inside. I noticed Peaches was still//. Must be sleeping//, I thought, but she wasn’t underneath her blanket! I also noticed that her water bowl was knocked down, with only a drop of water inside! //Oh no!// I approached the cage with caution steps and opened the gate. I wrapped my hands around Peaches. She didn’t budge. She was frozen solid. She…was dead. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When the rest of the family came in with their suitcases, I scurried to my room and slammed the door shut. //This was my fault! I should have told dad to buy another water bottle,// I thought//, this can’t be happening!// I flopped onto my bed and stained my fluffy, white pillow with tears. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The next day, my dad buried Peaches in our backyard. <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The whole family observed a moment of silence in rememberance of Peaches. My dad wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. From then on, I was back to being lonely. There was no one to tickle, no one to play with, just me. by, Maria Antony