Olivia handled and cared for Ella every day. She wanted to take her everywhere we went, convinced that she (Ella) did not like being left alone. (I think there might have been a little projection going on there.) She changed her water and gave her fresh grass. There were a few mornings (she check on her every morning) when Olivia would come in the house and say something like, "Silly Ella, she is still asleep." And I just knew she had kicked the bucket. But she survived...for two weeks! A grasshopper, in a box for two weeks! Granted she only had about 3/4 of an antennae on one side and 1/4 on the other and one of her front paws was half missing (too much handling I think), but she lived on.
One day Olivia said she knew tricks and that she played with the toys. I smiled and said, "Really? That's great." Not believing her. When she said, "Watch this" and dipped the hopper into the cave and said, "Get your toy" and raised the durn bug up with a wooden painted heart in its...hands...legs?? I dropped my draw. Sure enough. She did tricks.One night we returned to find Ella on her side, not to raise again. I was worried about how Olivia would respond. She got really quiet and let Mike carry her to bed, but then never looked back. The bug sat in the cave on the porch for a couple weeks until Joseph finally tossed the bug into the garden. Said she needed some new grass. Don't think he gets death yet.
I'm not sure what to think about Olivia's mourning. Trying not to imagine her responding to our deaths that way...or Joseph either...he might just toss us out in the front yard for some fresh grass. But she was quite the grasshopper trainer. Made us proud.
Ella Cinderella
October Something 2010 - October Something 2010.
R.I.P.
1 comment:
So sorry to hear of Ella's demise. Where do we send flowers?
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