Goodbye old Ted

I can’t get used to looking out at the rabbit’s hutch and seeing it empty. And as for peeling the carrots and topping and tailing the beans – I never thought such a mundane task could bring on such a wash of sadness.

Several days ago, Teddy, our rabbit, remained huddled up in his straw when I went out to feed him and give him a pat. This was unusual. Usually he'd hop into the outer section of his hutch eager for food.

I picked him up and put him on the grass, but he couldn’t support himself and kept falling over. (He keeps falling over in my mind. I see his skinny little legs kicking out to the side, flailing as he tries to right himself and hop away. It’s a harrowing image.) After a while, however, he seemed to recover, and I was relieved when he wolfed down his carrots and beans in true-to-form Teddy style.

But I had a feeling when I took him to the vet later that day he wouldn’t be coming home. The vet suggested there was neurological damage and that the loss of function was probably due to a prolapsed disk in his spine. For a rabbit, he was a very old man.

Poor Teddy.

We don’t know how old Teddy was – we think about ten, which is a pretty good innings for a rabbit. When we bought our house, Teddy, a handsome, long-haired exotic was thrown in for free. At the time, this small rabbity bonus had been a Godsend. The move had been under difficult circumstances.

Teddy facts:
· thought the grass was much greener on the other side of the fence and was a regular visitor to other gardens. He found some particularly sumptuous pickings to dine on during his visits which did provide cause for a period of neighbourhood tension
· enjoyed jumping up onto the couch and knocking off all the cushions
·ate a hole in my favourite jumper while I thought he was nestling affectionately into the crook of my arm
· bit the girl-child on the face while she was lounging around on the floor in her room – after which their relationship changed dramatically!
· provided great entertainment, one day, by chasing an over-inquisitive chook all around the backyard
· loved to relax upside-down in our arms or on our knees with his eyes closed
Goodbye Teddy.

Hope you’re hopping around in a gigantic heavenly vegetable plot lush with beans and silver beet and the juiciest carrots you’ve ever tasted.

( Milly and Fyodor will miss you.)

Comments

BookChook said…
That was a lovely tribute to Teddy! I hope the other animals and humans don't miss him too much.

I see you're reading Ishmael - I loved it and aspire to write as well as Bauer.

Good luck with your manuscript and say Hi to your chooks!
Sunday, August 02, 2009 8:41:00 am
Carole Poustie said…
Thank you Book Chook! I'm with you - to write as well as Bauer is a great goal to aspire to!

Carole
Monday, August 03, 2009 7:41:00 pm
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