Nonfiction story written in a memoir class in college about my hamster Joey who I “illegally” housed in my dorm room. 

Joey needed bedding. Hamster bedding, blue this time. I chose Chow Hound over Petco because they have adoptable cats there to pet. They had a little black cat on the tether that day who got to roam semi free for awhile whilst all the other cats in their little cubicles look on in jealousy, until it’s their time on the tether. I tried to pick her up but when I held her she reached back towards her bed with her little paws, and I let her down. Two little girls started walking in my direction, towards the cats. Kids freak me out, so I made my way towards the hamster supply aisle which was my main reason for the trip. Sorry, Joey, they were all out of blue. I picked out a pretty light yellow, although I can’t imagine that he cared; I’m pretty sure hamsters are colorblind. I walked up to the checkout. There was a woman ahead of me buying dog food, and another ahead of her buying a bag of crickets and a 50 pack of mealworms. She was the mother of the two girls that came in to see the cats. I can’t imagine what kind of pet they had at home. A lizard of some kind? A snake? It just seemed odd for that little peaceful family. I looked at the bag of crickets. They were jumping around the bubble bag like popping corn. What a terrible way to go, I thought. Live your life in a bag and then get put in a cage for a death match you’re not going to win. Awful. Finally it was my turn at the checkout.

“Did you find everything ok?”
“Mmmhm, thanks.”
“Do you have a couple of hamsters?”
“Just the one.” I smiled at the thought of my little buddy and his chubby white cheeks.
“Yeah, one of ours ate the other last night.”
“Umm…what?”
“Yeah, Violeta ate Seeds last night.”
Violeta what? Seeds who? Since when are hamsters cannibalistic? “That’s terrible!”
“Yeah, but it’s fair. Seeds ate Pookie before Violeta ate him.”
I stared blankly at the cashier as eternity passed by.
“Yup well ok have a good day.”
“Yeah…you too,” she quickly handed me the bag of bedding and awkwardness.

“Joe Joe!” Back at home, I smiled and stuck my hand in the dwarf hamster’s cage. He poked his little head out from underneath his new yellow bedding. “Hey bud bud! You miss me?” He sniffed my vulnerable fingertip with his tiny pink nose, then bit me full force, with his pointy buck teeth.  I withdrew my hand in horror, wondering whether he was just irritable…or tasting me.

Luciana, 20 (April 23, 2008)