Gus Gus rememembered

Our hamster died earlier this week. Josiah named him Gus Gus. We found him the day I was leaving for Saint Cloud. The next day in St. Cloud, I would board a bus and head to Camp Ripley and not see my family again for 11 months.

Gus was found by myself in our apartments courtyard while watching Josiah. He was playing while I watched him, until I saw a hamster digging by a window - and I picked him up. He was very skinny and dirty - probably had been living outside for a few months. But this was October of 2004 - he was lucky it wasn't freezing outside at night yet. So I took him in that night, committing ourselves to replenishing his health and inducting him into our family.

But Gus got sick about a week ago - very badly. His eyes filled with a pus that caused his eyes to shut. I read about this online and found I could clean it off and re-open them with a warm cloth. I had to do this each day as they kept filling with the gook. Then he died in his sleep while I was at work.

Siah has been quite upset, and doesn't want to believe that Gus is gone forever. He cried for quite a while, even waking up at 2 AM to ask me to get him. He is starting to accept it now. But I do not plan on getting another pet for a while. Our apartment already seems overcrowded with everyone here currently and current pets - 3 cats and 2 doves. So Josiah can wait until he gets older to have another pet - but perhaps we can plan it a little more than just finding one.