Benny - Part III

Each month that Benny lived I went back to the pet store where that rude shop keeper was to buy hamster food. I was so smug - so puffed up with pride that Benny was still alive, as if I had something to do with it - I think back now and I cringe at myself. I wanted that hick to know that Benny lived despite his feelings on the matter. On my sixth visit, the shop keeper said to me when I went to the register to pay for the food, "This month's food is on me. You done a good thing." That hick, as I referred to him, was a bigger person than I - he was wrong about Benny, about me and my family being kooks (okay, maybe we are kooks, but not for the reasons he thought!), and about the exercise wheel (more about that in a minute). He was big enough to admit he was wrong and to give us free food to make up for it. It humbled me. We actually developed a repore after that. I am embarrassed that it was he, the simple hick, that made the first gesture. It should have been me, the sophisticated (allow me this exaggeration) lady that claims to be a follower of Christ to make the kind gesture. But, alas, it was not and I have learned from that gentleman. He even took those African Water Frogs off our hands (now that is a story for another time........).

Now for the exercise wheel. No matter how he tried, Benny could not run on the inside of the wheel, but he would stand on his stumps on the outside and use his front paws to spin the wheel. What a hoot! Benny lived for nearly 3 years, then one day. . .

to be continued...................