I was reminded of this story on reading a  post by sonn84 in Q&A and sonn84’s mothers confusion about the new bunny’s boy bits. lol    It’s rather long, but do take time to read it when you can.  I recieved when it did the rounds via email years ago so some of you may have already seen it.

If you have raised kids before (or been one) and gone through the pet syndrome including toilet-flush burials for dead goldfish, shoe box buried in the back garden for the budgie etc, then the story below will have you laughing out LOUD!

Overview: I had to take my son’s hamster to the vet.

Here’s what happened: Just after dinner one night, my son came up to tell me there was “something wrong” with one of the two hamsters he holds prisoner in his room.

“He’s just lying there looking sick,” he told me. “I’m seroius, Dad. Can you help?”

I put my best hamster-healing look on my face and followed him into his bedroom. One of the little rodents was indeed lying on his back, looking stressed. I immediately knew what to do. “Honey,” I called, “come look at the hamster!”

“Oh my gosh,” my wife diagnosed after a minute. “She’s having babies.”

“What?” my son demanded “But their names are Bert and Ernie, Mom!”

I was equally outraged. “Hey, how can that be? I thought we said we didn’t want them to reproduce,” I accused my wife.

“Well, what do you want me to do, post a sign on their cage?” she inquired. (I actually think she said this sarcastically!)

“No, but you were supposed to get two boys!” I reminded her (in my most loving, calm, sweet voice, while gritting my teeth together).

“Yeah, Bert and Ernie!” my son agreed.

“Well, it’s just a little hard to tell on some guys, ya know,” she informed me. (Again with the sarcasm, ya think?)

By now the rest of the family had gathered to see what was going on. I shrugged, deciding to make the best of it. “Kids, this is going to be a wonderous experience,” I announced. We’re about to witness the miracle of birth.”

“OH, YUK!” they shrieked.

“Well isn’t THAT just Great!; what are we going to do with a litter of tiny little hamster babies?” my wife wanted to know. (I really do think she was being snotty here, too, don’t you?)

We peered at the patient. After much struggling, what looked like a tiny foot would appear briefly, vanishing a scant second later. “We don’t appear to be making much progress,” I noted.

“It’s breech,” my wife whispered, horrified.

“Do something, Dad!” my son urged.

“Okay, okay.” Squeamishly, I reached in and grabbed the foot when it next appeared, giving it a gingerly tug. It disappeared. I tried several more times with the same results.

“Should I call 911?” my eldest daughter wanted to know. “Maybe they could talk us through the trauma.” (You see a pattern here with the females in my house?)

“Let’s get Ernie to the vet,” I said grimly.

We drove to the vet with my son holding the cage in his lap. “Breathe, Ernie breathe,” he urged. “I don’t think hamsters do Childbirth Training,” his mother noted to him. (Women can be so cruel to their own young. I mean what she does to me is one thing, but this boy is of her womb, for goodness sake.)

The vet took Ernie back to the examining room and peered at the little, little animal through a magnifying glass. “What do you think Doc, a c-section?” I suggested scientifically.

“Oh, very interesting,” he murmured. “Mr and Mrs Cameron, may I speak to you privately for a moment?”

I gulped, nodding for my son to step outside. “Is Ernie going to be okay?” my wife asked.

“Oh, perfectly,” the vet assured us. “This hamster is not in labour. In fact, that isn’t EVER going to happen….Ernie is a boy.”

“What!?”

“You see, Ernie is a young male. And occasionally, as they come into maturity, like most male species, they um……..er….masturbate. Just the way he did, lying on his back.” He blushed , glancing at my wife.

“Well, you know what I’m saying, Mr Cameron.”

We were silent, absorbing this. “So Ernie’s just…..just…..Excited?”, my wife offered

“Exactly,” the vet replied, relieved that we understood.

More silence. Then my vicious, cruel wife started to giggle. And giggle. And then even laugh loudly.

“What’s so funny?” I demanded, knowing, but not believing that the woman I married would commit the upcoming affront to my flawless manliness. Tears were running down her face.

“It’s just…..that…..I’m picturing you pulling on its…..its…..teeny little…..” she gasped for more air to bellow in laughter once more.

“That’s enough,” I warned.

We thanked the Veterinarian and hurriedly bundled the hamster and our son back into the car. He was glad everything was going to be okay.

“I know Ernie’s really thankful for what you’ve done, Dad” he told me.

“Oh, you have NO idea,” my wife agreed, collapsing into laughter.

 **  Oh yes, I would class that as a “wonderous experience”!  **