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Thursday, June 18, 2009
Chapter 1
We felt like we were being flushed down a toilet. One minute me and my brothers, Bobby and Furby, were all warm and cosy inside our mummy’s tummy. The next we were all separate. Bobby and I huddled close together. We were scared and we felt safer like that. It was dark but that was good because our eyes had never seen light.
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Chapter 1 (cont)
Even in the darkness I could see that Furby didn’t look like us. He was smaller and his body didn’t appear round like ours. Our mum ignored him and got on with the job of cleaning up the mess our arrival had created. She was tired. But not too tired to look after us. She snuggled close to us and we felt safe and warm again.
Suddenly a strange huge paw reached in and took Furby away. We never saw him again. We never asked where he had gone.
Suddenly a strange huge paw reached in and took Furby away. We never saw him again. We never asked where he had gone.
Chapter 2
Daily we grew stronger and braver. We drank our mother’s milk and started to copy our mum as she ate dandelion leaves and nuts. We discovered we couldn’t get very far in any direction. Equally nothing else could get near us and we felt safe. From time to time the same huge paw gave us more food and new bedding.
At first we were wary of the paw. We would run and hide in the dark. Sometimes the paw would lift one of us up. We were very frightened. What if we were to fall? What if the paw would crush us? But we didn’t fall and the paw was very gentle. We learned to trust the paw.
At first we were wary of the paw. We would run and hide in the dark. Sometimes the paw would lift one of us up. We were very frightened. What if we were to fall? What if the paw would crush us? But we didn’t fall and the paw was very gentle. We learned to trust the paw.
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Mum wasn’t scared of the paw. She allowed it to touch her and she murmured her encouragement when the paw touched her on a particularly pleasurable spot.
We also learned that we could talk. The owner of the paw could talk too. She always talked softly to us and we found it reassuring. We learned that if we shouted encouragement to her she would come to see what we wanted. Sometimes it was really hard for us to make her to understand. But we knew that she wanted to.
We also learned that we could talk. The owner of the paw could talk too. She always talked softly to us and we found it reassuring. We learned that if we shouted encouragement to her she would come to see what we wanted. Sometimes it was really hard for us to make her to understand. But we knew that she wanted to.
Chapter 3
Then one day our whole life changed with no warning. The paw washed our fur. This made us very wet and we smelled different. Then me and my brother were put in another cage with a guinea who was much bigger and stronger than us. We were a bit scared but there were two of us and being smaller we were more nimble.
I noticed that this guinea looked a bit like my brother, Bobby. He was the same colour but with a slightly different hair style. Bobby’s hair was longer like our mum’s.
I noticed that this guinea looked a bit like my brother, Bobby. He was the same colour but with a slightly different hair style. Bobby’s hair was longer like our mum’s.
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009
We had nothing to fear. He was very pleased to see us. His name was Zoi and he had been lonely for some time. He told us that when he was our age he had a close friend. He said that Bobby reminded him of her too. And we all thought about our mum and we were very sad.
And then we saw her again. She was in our old cage and our carer placed it next to ours. We shouted and tried to touch each other through the holes in the cages. Our mum told us it was ok and that we would be safe with Zoi as he was our dad. We felt safe then.
And then we saw her again. She was in our old cage and our carer placed it next to ours. We shouted and tried to touch each other through the holes in the cages. Our mum told us it was ok and that we would be safe with Zoi as he was our dad. We felt safe then.
Chapter 4
During the day Bobby and I ran around and played. Sometimes I felt so happy that I could burst. I danced. I jumped up and down and shook my hips. I couldn’t help it. I was full of joy and life.
At night we always shared the same bed. We snuggled together and we were very cosy and warm.
We had two homes. One was inside our carer’s home. It was great there as we saw and heard lots of things and we could always get attention when we needed it. Such as when our water bottle needed refilling or we were out of nuts or if we just wanted a cuddle.
We grew to like the cuddles. It was like having a massage and it felt really good when we relaxed. We relaxed more when we felt safe and we felt safest with those who had been kind to us.
I don’t know why but I was always braver than Bobby. I was always curious about things like where I was or what something was. I would have to investigate…even things much bigger than myself. I was always first to explore and the others would follow. We would all murmur reassurance to each other and keep our noses close to where the other’s tail would have been (if we had one!)
At night we always shared the same bed. We snuggled together and we were very cosy and warm.
We had two homes. One was inside our carer’s home. It was great there as we saw and heard lots of things and we could always get attention when we needed it. Such as when our water bottle needed refilling or we were out of nuts or if we just wanted a cuddle.
We grew to like the cuddles. It was like having a massage and it felt really good when we relaxed. We relaxed more when we felt safe and we felt safest with those who had been kind to us.
I don’t know why but I was always braver than Bobby. I was always curious about things like where I was or what something was. I would have to investigate…even things much bigger than myself. I was always first to explore and the others would follow. We would all murmur reassurance to each other and keep our noses close to where the other’s tail would have been (if we had one!)
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Chapter 5
I can’t remember when I first felt “not quite right”. My eye felt funny and our carer seemed really concerned. She took me to see a man in a white coat. He put some drops of liquid in my eye and it stung. I didn’t like it and tried to keep my eye shut. After a while the tingling stopped but our carer started to do that to me every day.
I had thought that she liked me but now I wasn’t so sure. I struggled and moved my head to avoid the stinging liquid. So our carer held me more firmly. She was much stronger than me and despite my squirming the liquid did get in there.
I had thought that she liked me but now I wasn’t so sure. I struggled and moved my head to avoid the stinging liquid. So our carer held me more firmly. She was much stronger than me and despite my squirming the liquid did get in there.
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Gradually I started to feel better. I didn’t like the liquid but I realised that our carer was trying to help as my eye felt better. I struggled less and I found that the whole thing wasn’t too bad after all. I tried to think about nice things. Grass and cuddles and birds singing and I felt much better.
Chapter 6
Our carer tried lots of different ways of providing us with our favourite drink, water. We found that a lot of the water bottles are difficult to use and we would have to twist our necks into really uncomfortable positions. My brother, Bobby, never really worked out how to use one. He would shake and shake the metal bit and water would be all over his face and he was still very thirsty. The bottles also had a tendency to drip and wet our bedding.
We preferred the heavy earthenware pots for our water. That way we can drink as we are designed to do. Our carer always made sure that the water was replaced so that it was clean and refreshing for us.
One good thing about the bottles were that they did keep our water clean and they were useful if our carer was unable to replace our water regularly.
We also discovered that they made a good musical instrument. Zoi liked playing with his nuts and the plastic pot they were in. They made a good sound. To help pass the time we formed a band. Zoi on the pot, Bobby on the bottle and me as lead singer – Tom Bon Guinea! We thought of different names for our little band – Primal Squeak, Raving Cavies, Tommy and the Pigs, Rodent Rockers, Gigging Piggies…….
We preferred the heavy earthenware pots for our water. That way we can drink as we are designed to do. Our carer always made sure that the water was replaced so that it was clean and refreshing for us.
One good thing about the bottles were that they did keep our water clean and they were useful if our carer was unable to replace our water regularly.
We also discovered that they made a good musical instrument. Zoi liked playing with his nuts and the plastic pot they were in. They made a good sound. To help pass the time we formed a band. Zoi on the pot, Bobby on the bottle and me as lead singer – Tom Bon Guinea! We thought of different names for our little band – Primal Squeak, Raving Cavies, Tommy and the Pigs, Rodent Rockers, Gigging Piggies…….
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Chapter 6 (cont)
We practiced our pawtographs ready for when we were famous.
Our best song “Bubble and Squeak” made the Guinea’s Book of Records. We played at various outdoor venues around the garden and even threw impromptu indoor concerts for the carers. Some scary birds even started a fan club and started following us around with hungry eyes.
Our best song “Bubble and Squeak” made the Guinea’s Book of Records. We played at various outdoor venues around the garden and even threw impromptu indoor concerts for the carers. Some scary birds even started a fan club and started following us around with hungry eyes.
Chapter 7
Sometimes, with no warning, our cage and us with it would be unceremoniously hoiked into the back of something that moved really fast. There was a lot of vibration and noise for our little guinea ears. We always hid together and hoped it would end soon. Generally it did, and then we would live in a new place for a while.
Sometimes the places were nice. Sometimes they were not nice. At the nicer places we got a lot of attention and food and bedding. At some other places we didn’t get any new bedding and hardly any food. We were worried because we didn’t know why this was and we had no other way of finding food. We found it hard to keep ourselves clean when our cage was dirty.
When our carer returned she would inspect our paws and coats. She knew that we always liked to look presentable being rock stars. She would thoroughly clean our cage and give us a bath (which we didn’t like at all). But we always felt really happy and danced for joy when we got home again.
Sometimes the places were nice. Sometimes they were not nice. At the nicer places we got a lot of attention and food and bedding. At some other places we didn’t get any new bedding and hardly any food. We were worried because we didn’t know why this was and we had no other way of finding food. We found it hard to keep ourselves clean when our cage was dirty.
When our carer returned she would inspect our paws and coats. She knew that we always liked to look presentable being rock stars. She would thoroughly clean our cage and give us a bath (which we didn’t like at all). But we always felt really happy and danced for joy when we got home again.
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Chapter 8
They say “only the good die young” so I must have been a very good guinea pig. After the problem with my eye my carers were always touching a particular area on my back. At first I didn’t notice anything and then after a few weeks it started to “tingle”.
I always loved to demonstrate how strong I was by lifting the little hut we used as our bedroom. I would push my nose under a corner from inside and then push myself out from underneath. As the tingling got worse it became much harder to push myself through the gap.
Then one day I felt something liquid run down my side. Our carer seemed different, liquid ran from her eyes and she held me very close. Once again I was taken to see a new lady in a white coat. The lady seemed to like me at first but then she started poking and prodding me. She squeezed the tingly area on my back. It hurt a lot and I screamed. My carer couldn’t bear to watch especially when they stuck a big needle in my neck. Afterwards I felt very tired.
We went home but I wasn’t allowed to return to the family cage. I had another cage next door with just paper bedding (no shavings or hay). Each day my carer would repeat the torture…but that was nothing…Worse still was that I couldn’t go out to play with the others or cuddle my brother. I was very sad. I lay in the corner and wasn’t interested in anything. I didn’t understand why I was being punished like this.
My visits to the lady in the white coat became more frequent. After the third visit I was allowed to spend my days with my family in the outdoor cage on the grass. I was so happy to be able to touch and talk to my friends. After being alone I really appreciated their company more than I had before. They were glad to see me too. We danced and sang for joy. Eventually I was allowed back in our indoor cage and I felt like things were getting back to normal again.
Our carer squeezed my back less often and I felt ok most of the time. Sometimes though I had a strange feeling like someone was calling me. I would stand very still and listen and I felt very tired. In the mornings I found it hard to face the day. Before I’d always been first up, bursting out of the bedroom, interested in everything. Not now. Things seemed harder somehow.
I always loved to demonstrate how strong I was by lifting the little hut we used as our bedroom. I would push my nose under a corner from inside and then push myself out from underneath. As the tingling got worse it became much harder to push myself through the gap.
Then one day I felt something liquid run down my side. Our carer seemed different, liquid ran from her eyes and she held me very close. Once again I was taken to see a new lady in a white coat. The lady seemed to like me at first but then she started poking and prodding me. She squeezed the tingly area on my back. It hurt a lot and I screamed. My carer couldn’t bear to watch especially when they stuck a big needle in my neck. Afterwards I felt very tired.
We went home but I wasn’t allowed to return to the family cage. I had another cage next door with just paper bedding (no shavings or hay). Each day my carer would repeat the torture…but that was nothing…Worse still was that I couldn’t go out to play with the others or cuddle my brother. I was very sad. I lay in the corner and wasn’t interested in anything. I didn’t understand why I was being punished like this.
My visits to the lady in the white coat became more frequent. After the third visit I was allowed to spend my days with my family in the outdoor cage on the grass. I was so happy to be able to touch and talk to my friends. After being alone I really appreciated their company more than I had before. They were glad to see me too. We danced and sang for joy. Eventually I was allowed back in our indoor cage and I felt like things were getting back to normal again.
Our carer squeezed my back less often and I felt ok most of the time. Sometimes though I had a strange feeling like someone was calling me. I would stand very still and listen and I felt very tired. In the mornings I found it hard to face the day. Before I’d always been first up, bursting out of the bedroom, interested in everything. Not now. Things seemed harder somehow.
Chapter 9
Our carer went away and we went to one of the less nice places for our holiday. I felt a bit disorientated there and the calling felt stronger somehow. It was very hard to carry on and so I decided to let go and see what happened. As you know I had always been a curious guinea.
I felt myself become lighter and lighter like I was floating. I looked down and could see a dirty guinea body in our cage lying motionless. It looked like me but I realised it wasn’t me as I was still here. I realised that the fur and claws and ears I called me weren’t really me at all. They were like a set of clothes I had been given to wear. I felt much lighter and freer not having to carry those around.
I felt warm and so safe…like I was wrapped in a blanket of love. I hadn’t felt this safe since I left my mummy’s tummy. Then I sensed Furby was close to me again. That everything was close to me and I felt very, very happy. This must be heaven.
I felt myself become lighter and lighter like I was floating. I looked down and could see a dirty guinea body in our cage lying motionless. It looked like me but I realised it wasn’t me as I was still here. I realised that the fur and claws and ears I called me weren’t really me at all. They were like a set of clothes I had been given to wear. I felt much lighter and freer not having to carry those around.
I felt warm and so safe…like I was wrapped in a blanket of love. I hadn’t felt this safe since I left my mummy’s tummy. Then I sensed Furby was close to me again. That everything was close to me and I felt very, very happy. This must be heaven.
Chapter 10
I watched as our carer buried my body in the garden near where she had buried Furby’s body. The liquid was running from her eyes and she cut a piece of fur from my coat which I saw her put in a little box.
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I wanted to tell her that I was ok. That everything was ok but I couldn’t. My voice didn’t work. Then I heard her…not her voice…she was speaking to me from inside. And I could reassure her. I told her this story, my story, so that she could tell it to you. On earth I was only a guinea pig…those who knew the real me knew I was and am so much more.
Dictated by Tommy and written by Kerry (his carer).
Dictated by Tommy and written by Kerry (his carer).
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Workbook
Suggested things to think about and discuss:
Chapter 1:
Why did they feel like they had been flushed down a toilet?
What does separation mean? What does it feel like?
What makes you feel safe? What makes you feel scared?
What do you think was the problem with Furby?
What was the strange huge paw?
Why did Bobby and Tommy not see Furby again?
Where do you think Furby had gone?
Chapter 2:
Why couldn’t Bobby and Tommy get very far?
What things scare you enough to run and hide?
How do you think you would feel if a giant person picked you up in their hand?
How can you be gentle? What is the opposite of gentle?
What does trust mean?
Who do you trust?
How do you decide whether someone can be trusted?
What is the difference between talking softly and shouting? When and why do you shout? How do you feel inside when you shout?
How do you feel when someone talks softly to you? And shouts at you?
How do you think Bobby and Tommy knew that their carer wanted to understand them?
Which spots do you find pleasurable to the touch? Which spots do you think a guinea pig would like to be touched? And which would he/she prefer not?
Chapter 3:
Why do you think the paw washed the guineas fur?
What does nimble mean?
Who do you think Zoi is?
Why do you think he is called Zoi?
Chapter 4:
What makes you feel happy?
How do you show that you are happy?
What do you do to get attention?
What things do you find reassuring?
How would you reassure a guinea pig?
How do guinea pigs sing?
Chapter 5:
Who is the man in the white coat?
Have you ever had drops in your eyes? How does it feel?
How do you divert your attention when less nice things are happening?
What nice things do you think about?
Chapter 6:
Do you prefer to drink water out of a bottle or a glass?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?
What name would you recommend for the piggie’s band?
Chapter 7:
What was the “something that moved really fast”?
What is vibration?
How do you think the guineas felt living in a dirty cage?
Why do we need to clean cages out? What would happen if we didn’t?
How do you feel after you have had a bath/shower? Which do you prefer and why?
Chapter 8:
What was the “liquid which ran from the carer’s eyes”?
Can guineas cry?
Why do you think the vet “stuck a big needle” in Tommy’s neck?
Why was Tommy sad?
Why did he have to live separately from his family?
Was Tommy being punished?
Who could be “calling” Tommy?
Why do you think Tommy found the days harder to face?
Chapter 9:
What do you think is happening to Tommy?
How would it feel to be “wrapped in a blanket of love”?
What does the word “heaven” mean to you?
Chapter 10:
What would you want to happen to your body when you die?
Why do you think the carer kept a piece of Tommy’s fur?
Why did Tommy’s voice not work?
Could Kerry really talk to Tommy in her head or did she just imagine it? What is the difference?
How would you describe Tommy?
What can we all learn from his story?
Chapter 1:
Why did they feel like they had been flushed down a toilet?
What does separation mean? What does it feel like?
What makes you feel safe? What makes you feel scared?
What do you think was the problem with Furby?
What was the strange huge paw?
Why did Bobby and Tommy not see Furby again?
Where do you think Furby had gone?
Chapter 2:
Why couldn’t Bobby and Tommy get very far?
What things scare you enough to run and hide?
How do you think you would feel if a giant person picked you up in their hand?
How can you be gentle? What is the opposite of gentle?
What does trust mean?
Who do you trust?
How do you decide whether someone can be trusted?
What is the difference between talking softly and shouting? When and why do you shout? How do you feel inside when you shout?
How do you feel when someone talks softly to you? And shouts at you?
How do you think Bobby and Tommy knew that their carer wanted to understand them?
Which spots do you find pleasurable to the touch? Which spots do you think a guinea pig would like to be touched? And which would he/she prefer not?
Chapter 3:
Why do you think the paw washed the guineas fur?
What does nimble mean?
Who do you think Zoi is?
Why do you think he is called Zoi?
Chapter 4:
What makes you feel happy?
How do you show that you are happy?
What do you do to get attention?
What things do you find reassuring?
How would you reassure a guinea pig?
How do guinea pigs sing?
Chapter 5:
Who is the man in the white coat?
Have you ever had drops in your eyes? How does it feel?
How do you divert your attention when less nice things are happening?
What nice things do you think about?
Chapter 6:
Do you prefer to drink water out of a bottle or a glass?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?
What name would you recommend for the piggie’s band?
Chapter 7:
What was the “something that moved really fast”?
What is vibration?
How do you think the guineas felt living in a dirty cage?
Why do we need to clean cages out? What would happen if we didn’t?
How do you feel after you have had a bath/shower? Which do you prefer and why?
Chapter 8:
What was the “liquid which ran from the carer’s eyes”?
Can guineas cry?
Why do you think the vet “stuck a big needle” in Tommy’s neck?
Why was Tommy sad?
Why did he have to live separately from his family?
Was Tommy being punished?
Who could be “calling” Tommy?
Why do you think Tommy found the days harder to face?
Chapter 9:
What do you think is happening to Tommy?
How would it feel to be “wrapped in a blanket of love”?
What does the word “heaven” mean to you?
Chapter 10:
What would you want to happen to your body when you die?
Why do you think the carer kept a piece of Tommy’s fur?
Why did Tommy’s voice not work?
Could Kerry really talk to Tommy in her head or did she just imagine it? What is the difference?
How would you describe Tommy?
What can we all learn from his story?
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