A stranger for my hamster

I smuggled a hamster into the dorms. I was rather crafty about it. I snuck her in in a plastic bin, lined with sheets, so it looked like I was transporting bedding.

But alas, she was discovered during a fire drill, and I she and I had to part company.

I posted on craigslist, not asking a lot of money for her, just a good home with the promise they would take good care of her.

I was contacted by a woman who said she would love to have Lady Calliope of Sockshire as a present for her daughter's birthday. We agreed on a price, and a day and time and place to meet.

It was kind of awkward, looking for her on a rare sunny day. We triangulated positions based on what house she was at, and I ran into her behind the Masters of Fine Arts building. She had her daughters with her. For a second it reminded me of my mom, my sister and I, how we probably look when we're out anywhere together. Her two daughters were most definitely hers, and looked like they were the same number of years apart that me and my sister were.

"Willa?"



"Yeah."

"Hi, I'm" and I don't remember her name, because I'm a terrible person. She introduced me to her daughters and I walked her back to Burlingham and had them wait in the lobby while I jogged upstairs to retrieve Callie.

I brought her down, and made appropriate introductions.

The daughters exclaimed how cute and curious Callie was, her adorable little white-socked paws and the white stripe down her belly. They particularly enjoyed her plastic strawberry house.

The woman, who's name might have been Patricia, or something totally different like Claire, told me about their other pets.

"Here, I brought pictures."

She shows me her phone, the pictures of their other hamster, who's orange and a little fancy (meaning he has long hair); their little terrier, and their cat. Their house is like a standard house you see pet pictures in. Calliope will be going to a great place. Funny how that sounds like she died.

"Callie will love it very much at our house. She's going to a good home."

I hand off Lady Calliope of Sockshire, and the older daughter takes the cage with some reverence.


The woman will e-mail me later with more images, attached to a story of Calliope now being shown at a country fair, where the daughters have to detail information about and proper care of hamsters.