Marimba, the little jill I was working with, crossed the Bridge last
night.

I let Marimba down. My job was to provide a safe, loving and enrichment
filled environment for these little guys - and I blew it.

The kids don't usually have access to my bedroom, except two of the
big guys who go over the gate and sleep in the warm drawers under the
waterbed. I didn't take a moment to put up the baby gate - it'll be
fine just this one time.. The closet doors are usually tightly closed,
but I'd been putting away laundry - shouldn't matter just this once..

When I brought Marimba home to work with, she had become a really bad
biter. This little jill was PISSED at the whole world, and not about
to let anybody handle her.

She was so pretty - a little fur covered tank on legs :-) Over the
course of her five weeks here she went from piranha to a soft, warm
snuggly girl who loved to be scratched, and melted when she got her
ears rubbed. She shared a playpen with Oreo, Frazzle and Teaser, who
all doted on her. She learned she didn't have to hug the walls or stay
under furniture - dooking and dancing suited her just fine. She grew
to appreciate the joys of terrorizing Doppler, the Bengal cat. And I
grew to love her..

The carpet remnant was 4 feet tall, tightly rolled, leaning in the
corner of the closet. The rough outer surface made it easy to climb.
The dark tunnel opening at the top was the perfect spot to explore for
a nosy little girl who had grown to love tubes. Headfirst to explore,
and gravity did the rest..

How can I ever ask her to forgive me...?

Please, if you could have Bandersnatch greet her - he, of all of mine
who have crossed, knows how it feels to leave before your time, and
the pain and guilt left in the wake of that crossing.

Peg Francisco

[Posted in FML 5811]