As your children often do, mine had done. My daughter acquired two Guinea Pigs, a male and a female, and they were beautiful little creatures. They were named ‘SEEMORE’ and ‘SEELESS’, a play on the names ‘Seymour’ and ‘Celeste’ I suppose, but who knows the mind of a teenager?

They were, of course, finding their way into my heart. I went to the mill for shavings, bringing them home by the trunk load in large bags, I bought special food, I shampooed and groomed them, cuddled them and taught them how to kiss. Because you see a few months after acquiring these Guinea Pigs my daughter become aware of creatures much more interesting ‘BOYS’! And Mom got the pets!

I talked about these little animals, I loved them, and in some peoples’ view, maybe just a bit too much, seeing as how they were thought of by some as rodents, but not by me .Those tiny pets were the best cared for in the province of Nova Scotia I am sure.

Then tragedy struck, and Seemore became very sick. The staff I worked with were sick to death of me and my obsession with these creatures but they would hear me out and let me vent. It looked like Seemore was dying, and he did in fact die and broke our hearts. I called the Unit and told them I would be a little late as I had to stay and tell my daughter about Seemore, hear her sobs, and do the necessary things, before I left my house.

Dr.C., our surgeon of the day, had arrived shortly before I did that morning and she was told that ‘Seemore passed away in the night’, and of course she was told in a somber, whispered tone. She was sympathetic and suitably solemn, but in fact she had forgotten who ‘Seemore’ was.

Finally she went to one of the other nurses, and in a soft, concerned voice asked "Which one of the maintenance men is Seymour?"

The nurse told her there was no such person in our institution.

"Well, who is ‘Seymour’ that died and everyone is so sad about?" she inquired.

"Oh, that ‘Seemore’, you remember him, he’s Bonnies’ Guinea Pig she goes on about all the time!" my co-worker explained with a smile. Dr. C. decided to drop the sad face, and pick it up again when I appeared, which she could not do. All she could do was blush and tell me how she had embarrassed herself.

"That’s OK, he had good Palliative Care and knew us right to the end!" I informed her seriously, knowing how easy she was to tease about things.

She looked at me, blushed again, and we headed toward our days’ work.

But Seemore was gone, and I couldn’t help but think how he would love to about how Dr. C. had mourned him for ten minutes!

I still had my ‘Seeless’ though!!

Bonnie Jarvis-Lowe

"Don't fall victim to your own melodrama. Keep things in perspective. The odds are that your problem is solvable. Address the solution and don't dwell on the problem to the point at which it paralyzes you." Harvey Mackay

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