Wednesday September 8, 2004

During my childhood, twice I had gerbils as pets. My Mom liked them a lot
(unless me or my brother Bryan would let them loose in the house). Both
sets of gerbils died within just a couple of years. After grieving my
second set of gerbils, I decided that as much as I enjoyed them, I did not
want to go through the gerbil death grief experience again.

Thirty four years later my Dearest friend Adrienne moved from Norman,
Oklahoma to Lake Oswego Oregon and asked me to care for her aged, retired
elementary class room school gerbil.

Cloe is a wise loving gerbil. Cloe is between three and four years old.
She has brought many a child and more than just a few adults happiness and
joy. Cloe is large (both her bones and her belly). She really enjoys
pumpkin seeds and occasionally still runs on her wheel.

Wise old Cloe! I bet she would be a great-great-great-great Grandma in
gerbil life! I do worry about Cloe. She has gone mostly blind and seems to
be a bit tired and labored in her breathing. I don't know if she will live
a few more minutes or a few more months.

When she dies, I will bury her with some pumpkin seeds and her wise old
gerbil soul will smile forever with the smiles of hundreds of children and
more than just a few adults. Every now and then she will smile her
signature "pumpkin seed smile."

What a wonderful circle of life. What an honor to care for and then in
time, put this amazing little creature to rest.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Cloe died last night. Although I was a bit sad, I was comforted for as I
looked at her, I noticed she had died smiling. Merry Part Cloe.

Craig Corbin