Socrates

It all began February 17th 2003...

   My family and I had watched a movie called Willard. It was about a man that had hundreds of rats in his basement. All the rats were brown, black, and wild except for one. He was the "leader" rat and he was white as snow. His name, was Socrates... Thus, my story begins.

   I walked home from school February 17th and asked my mother if I could visit my friend.

She told me "I think you'd want to see whats in that box first".

   Of course, when my mother told me this, I instantly wanted to see what was inside. I sat down on a chair and my mom brought me the box. I slowly opened it and to my surprised noticed a small white fluff at the bottom! I gently picked her up and held her, ever so delicately. She cowered in my arms, seeking safety which I provided. I remember the movie almost instantly at the sight of this lovely female rat. So I named her after the leader, Socrates.

   Life was perfect. I had school, yes, but that did not stop me from coming home after school and holding her in my arms. She always waited for me at the cage's door, waiting, to see if I would happen to come by.  I always did. When life was down, she would lick away my tears and bring comfort. When I wasn't hungry, I fed her my left-overs. We went swimming, watched TV and even entered and won contests together. Sometimes, when things are so good, it's very hard to let go...

   I walked to her cage like I did everyday. This time, she did not come to the door for an odd reason. She was not acting herself and it was very obvious. I told my mother and from the look in her eyes, I knew it wasn't good. Socs had a pituitary tumor and was dying.

   At first, only her front legs paralyzed, so we gave her food that she didn't have to pick up. But then, her back legs paralyzed. She could not move, all day, she lay in her log cabin sticking her head out the window when she was hungry or thirsty. She couldn't even get out of the cabin to go to the bathroom. Then, she couldn't even wash herself. I loved her so much... but every time I saw her, all I did was cry. I couldn't even look at her anymore because I felt all her pain. When she got sick, it almost as if someone had torn out my heart and left me on the ground to die alone. I was scared to be alone. Afraid of the outside world without her. But I knew that the more I kept her with me, the more she and I would suffer. Finally I had to make the hard decision to let her go. It felt awful and my mom and  I cried a heck of a lot but it was probably the best thing in the world I could do for her. Socrates was suffering, and now, her pain had finally ended...

   I think back now, and I know that Socrates does not want me to be sad, she wants me to think of her, to think of all the good times and all the fun we shared. Socrates, I will try my best not to cry for you. I will try to be happy. If only that makes you, slightly happier too.

~Your best most loyal friend and owner,
Val

Letter from Mom:

Socrates came to us as a tiny little rattlet only 3 weeks old. She was a  fancy rat of the Siamese variety with the same markings of a Siamese kitten. 

My daughter and Socrates became immediate best friends and were inseparable. 

 

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