Dear fml friends.... I got the word tonight that Squeeekers died today.
For those of you who don't remember, he was a very special Siamese ferret
who would have been eight on October 5th.
 
Eight years ago I was recovering from unexpected open heart surgery and
Rocky needed a friend, so Susie and I drove from Framingham Mass to Path
Valley Farms in the middle of Pennsylvania.  There we learned that ferrets
weren't legal in Mass (that's another story), but he was the cutest little
ball of fur that you ever could wish for and we brought him home to be
'socialized' by Rockey our first ferret; who also was putting the fear of
God into Jack who was just a kitten at the time.
 
Squeekers, perhaps because of all the early attention, grew up to become
the most SPECIAL guy.  Never bit anyone, but loved to climb up on your
shoulder and either (whisper a secret) or some would say lick your ear.  He
and I became close friends, and he woke me up precisely at 4 A.M.  each day
to be carried around in my jacket for a walk, then back to share breakfast
before we started our separate jobs for the day.
 
He got to meet Rep Barbara Grey who because of his urging, fought for the
ferret bill in Mass, he got to meet both Pam (Troutman) and Jack Grant who
called him 'Spot' cause of the freckle on his nose, and he told Jeanne
Carley lots of secrets about what he would like to tell those Fish &
Wildlife people, if he had the chance.
 
Squeekers also loved his knit ski hats and would often curl up in a special
green one to go to sleep.  Often I would be working at the computer and
would feel a little head resting on my toe.  It was Squeeks wanting to get
'up' where he would climb into a hat (I always had one ready), and he would
go to sleep beside the keyboard where I was working.  I have a picture
taken just last week of him sleeping happily on my desk.
 
Such a SPECIAL guy.... we were able to see insulinoma two years ago and get
surgery for that, but he lost his coat to adrenal disease six months ago,
and surgery was ruled out after ultrasound, because of his age.
 
Lately he had begun to develop terrible itches, which both Squeeks and I
worked on together, but I had to go out of town on a trip and leave him as
well as Peaches, & John Bear ferret, in the care of a another ferret
person.  Richard found some antihistamine cream for him which stopped the
itching, and we were all hoping for another few months, but it was not to
be....
 
My understanding is that he died quietly in his sleep with the other
ferrets nearby.  I am really upset by it all and by not being there, but
realize that it is selfish to be so.  Squeeks lived a good long life, he
had tons of friends, no enemies, and died sorrounded by his ferret friends.
We should all be so lucky.
 
        - Bill Williamson
[Posted in FML issue 2435]