Chapter Four: Blast From the Past

Chapter Four: Blast From the Past - Guinea Pig Edition

May 07, 2014

Anyone who knows me knows I have some obsessions in my life. Okay, a lot of obsessions. One obsession in particular is....my absolute adoration of guinea pigs.

Look, little baskets of love!

How do these obsessions of ours start? We all have at least one, whether it be kitties, rabbits, technology, RuneScape, MineCraft, Harry Potter.... Where do these intense bursts of emotions come from? Usually, there is a story. So, without any further ado...here is my story....about getting my first guinea pig.

Whenever we are young, we always beg Mom and Dad for some sort of pet. As a child who isn't in control of much, having possession over some sort of living creature gives us that sense of responsibility and control that we desire. I remember asking for a cat, and my parent's response to that was getting me a FurReal Cat.

I'll be your friend...

Which was, by far, the coolest Christmas gift ever. I really enjoyed my FurReal friend, especially since we couldn't have a real cat because our big dogs would eat one as a snack. Besides, pulling the fake cat's tail was so much more satisfying than pulling a real one.

However, having a robot as a pet just didn't cut it for my 7 year old self. There is a certain grace that is associated with being able to hold and take care of something that truly relies completely on you.

So, when I was in the second grade, Mom and Dad took me to Trader's Village.

*Angel Chorus*

I remember feeling like I was at some sort of carnival or festival. And I remember looking at the guinea pigs. There were brown ones, white ones, black ones...but the one that stole my heart was one of all different colors. Brown, freckled nose, black left ear and white right ear... And the whites of his eyes almost had a blue tint to them, like he was exotic.

2nd Grade me with 2nd Grade Handwriting.

First Piggy! Also, a tiger tail from long ago....

I distinctly remember wanting to carry him all the way back to the car. I remember explaining my perfectly logical way of naming him:
"The white is like marshmallows, and the brown and black is like chocolate, so I'm going to call him Cocoa!"

I didn't let go of him once. He rode in his little box, on my lap, all the way home. And I will never forget how I beamed when we first got him, or how the butterflies lifted me off the ground when I first held him. I'll never forget when Mom made a little wizard costume for him, and we took him to a local Guinea Pig Festival. I'll never forget hearing a guinea pig squeal or the vibrations of a satisfied purr for the absolute first time. I'll never forget playing with him, day after day, always experiencing a new adventure with my pig.

I'll never forget how whenever I moved, Cocoa was the friend who moved with me.

I couldn't have asked for a better first pig. His patience and companionship was exactly what my 8 year old self needed. Cocoa will always hold a special place in my heart, especially since he was the first of many guinea pigs in my life.

What I have learned from my experiences with guinea pigs (or any pet, really) is that our pets are not just pets. Sometimes they are such a pain in the butt, (i.e. chewing up your flip-flops, scaring your friends, causing general chaos) but, in the end, their company and loyalty really impact us more than I think we know. And I find that absolutely amazing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Guinea Pigs