pet obsession

i used to be obsessed with having a guinea pig. when i was seven, i would walk to the glenwood public library once a week and check out a book about caring for your pet guinea pig. though i'd failed miserably at taking care of my turtle toto and hamster (also named toto; i liked wizard of oz) i thought that having a guinea pig would cure all of life's shortcomings.

today after a long bike ride with my brother i came home to an envelope from my parents. it was filled with photographs and notes, one being this plea to my parents for a guinea pig that i wrote at age seven.

Guinea Pig

I want a guinea pig because they are fun to have. From what I have read, it says guinea pigs are very clean and not smelly. I will clean the cage every 3 days. I am paying for him and what it needs. I have a cage and a top. I will crush it's hair and if it gets a teensy bit smelly, which it won't, I will clean it. I will also exercise it. I have people to watch it when we go on vacation. One reason I want it is becaues it will be fun to play with when I'm bored, but even when I'm not bored I'll still do everything I'm supposed to. I didn't like my old hamster, ToTo, because he was too small and active. The turtle had claws and you couldn't cuddle him. I know I'll like a guinea pig because they are very quiet, tame, and the perfect size. I will feed it every day at the right time. I will take care of it all by myself. I will have wood for it to gnaw on so his teeth don't get long. Please let me get a guinea pig.

-Mary Beth LaRue, age 7