My sweet old man-rat died suddenly and unexpectedly on the 21st. I haven't dealt wit the body yet; I want to do something special for him, but I'm in a new city and I'm not sure where in my apartment complex I could get away with burying him.
I knew his time was coming. He was creeping up on his 3rd birthday and he was very thin and finally beginning to slow down and show his age. A part of me thought/hoped that he was immortal, even though I knew it wasn't true. He was just so spry and full of life right until the end.
He was curled up in his hammock, food in his paws, when I found him. I knew something was wrong because he didn't run up to say hello, and Einstein would always run out to see me. I pulled him out and he was pretty much gone. I stroked his fur and talked to him until he'd passed. I think it was a stroke, or maybe just old age. It's hard to tell.
Einstein was special. He was a little monkey, always getting into trouble. He was the smartest, most mischievous pain-in-the-ass rat and I loved him dearly for it.
I'm sorry, Einer-steiner. I miss you so much.
