The Untimely Death of a Hamster

So every week in the classroom the students have tasks or chores.  Chores are typically done only on Fridays and include things like sweeping the floor, wiping off the desk and whiteboard, cleaning Alvin's cage, and taking out the classroom trash.  No I am not using child labor, but it's good for the kids to have a sense of responsibility and ownership of their classroom.  Please note that if you are on Alvin duty for the week, you are also responsible for feeding and watering Alvin.  And if you are wondering who Alvin is, he is the class hamster.  

So this past Friday was just like any other Friday.  It was the end of the day and all the boys had set about to do their assigned tasks.  It was the oldest student's week to be on Alvin duty.  We'll call him Frankie.  So Frankie, who is 12 had the privilege of cleaning out Alvin's cage on Friday.  I had went through the proper protocol of what to do with Alvin while cleaning the cage and how to clean the cage several times with Frankie before and he had successfully accomplished the job with my supervision several times now.  It was kind of rushed on Friday and I was trying to help my youngest student wipe down desks without spraying furniture polish in everyone's eyes, when Frankie informed me that he felt confident he could handle Alvin on his own.  I agreed that I thought he was up to the task and sent he along with Alvin to the back balcony of my apartment. 

You see when we clean Alvin's cage, we first ever so gently place Alvin into a used USPS box, (thanks...Court, Dad, and others...those things don't go to waste) old wood chips and all and close the top of the box loosely so Alvin doesn't escape.  Next we wash out the old remnants left in Alvin's cage, including his wheel and dry them off.  Then come the fresh wood chips, food and fresh water and finally Alvin.  Alvin is scooped up in a tall plastic cup and if you hold the cup straight up, Alvin can't climb the walls because they are too slippery.  Finally you gently lay the cup back down in the cage and Alvin climbs out.  The scooping up of Alvin, if done properly really only takes a mere 10-15 seconds.  

So on this past Friday, Frankie was out on the balcony cleaning Alvin's cage along with his younger brother, Chauci and I was at my desk grading the last of the day's papers.  The other two boys had already finished their chores and headed home.  I hear a slight squeal from the younger brother Chauci, but didn't think much of it and continued grading.  No less that 30 seconds later, both boys appear in front of my desk with strange looks.  "Chauci picked Alvin up by the tail and dropped him and now he's downstairs because he fell off the balcony."  At first I thought Frankie, was kidding because it seemed a bit far fetched and the two brothers have the tendency to try to pull things over on their teacher.  "You're kidding me?"  "Uh....no, he's down their right now." he said. 

As I went out the balcony I was thinking, "seriously, seriously....can this really be happening? Surely they are joking."  But no, when we  got to the balcony, I discovered that our class hamster was no where to be found.  I looked below, but didn't see him downstairs so I told the boys to put on their shoes and we'd go check it out.  Keys and container in hand we quickly went down the two flights of stairs in search of Alvin and we found him.  On a 2 ft high retaining barrier there lay Alvin.  Alive but on his side and probably wondering what the crap just happened.  So I scooped up Alvin in the container and took him inside back to his freshly cleaned catch where I assumed he would die in an hour or so. I told the boys not to mention it until after an event that we were having for one of the other kids that afternoon.  I was honest with them that Alvin probably wouldn't make it, but Frankie and Chauci were either in shock or really just thought it was one big adventure.  The story was that Chauci decided when placing Alvin back in his clean cage he would pick him up by his tail instead of using the cup.  The hamster when picked up this way squeeled, scaring Chauci and causing him to drop Alvin on the balcony, the hamster was scared and tried to run and well you know the rest....

1 hour later, Alvin in his clean cage, was dead.  I had assumed right.  So that night the boys wanted to come by and see our former class pet.  That's when I had to tell the youngest of the four that yes Alvin was really dead and just because he has he eyes open doesn't mean he's still alive.  Sometimes animals die with their eyes open.  And don't patronize me here what would have done?....closed his eyes with a chopstick??  

So on Saturday, April 18, 2009 one day after our class pet met death we celebrated his life with a short service...not a funeral,(I refused to have a Bill Cosby moment with a coffin, funeral, and burial)  but a celebration of life service in which each boy got to tell his best memory about Alvin.  Memories included, "the time Alvin tooted during class," "the day Alvin almost escaped because he was climbing so quickly," and "I don't have a favorite memory, I really didn't get to know him that well.  We only had him for a short while."  Alvin was promptly taking out with the trash after everyone left.....there is no where to bury anything here.  

On Monday we will have a senate type meeting in which we discuss and vote on what kind of class pet we should get next and what name it should be given. 

SERIOUSLY?!?!..... SERIOUSLY!?!?!!!!!!!

Beautiful Feet