So I'm The Pall Bearer

It all started with a shriek from downstairs. Imani was screaming which she never does. She is the most calm reserved child I have save for her outburst the other day in school. That made my heart stop for a second and I took off running downstairs.
Imani is squatting down in front of Pipi's tiny white cage. I go "what's wrong what happened?"
"Pipi's dead" she says in shock.
I am silent. I don't know what to say. It's a shock.
We tried to think about what could have caused her death by looking in her cage where she lay with her eyes open. A tiny piece of bitten plastic was inside her cage but that could not have killed here since she had lived for months in my home and chewed through a VERY nice lunch box.
Imani admitted finally "I read that hamsters don't live long no more than a year or two. I just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon."
I say, "What are you going to do? I think we need to not just toss her out. Let's give her some kind of something".
I get ready to call KJ and Lili and she stops me "Ma no, I don't think they should."
I could tell that maybe this wasn't about the little people it was about her and her not wanting to share this last moment with her pet with two snot nosed kids. I nod instead and say "Ok if you say so."
We silently go about gathering a box and put pretty tissue paper in it for her. Imani gently picks her up with a gloved hand and places her in the tissue paper.
She picks up Pipi's cage and cleans it out, gathers up Pipis house and puts them in a small bag and we begin the procession to the trash outside.

Pipi's Coffin

In total silence we do this. She walks in front of me and I behind her acting as Pipi's pall bearer  carrying her tiny little make shift casket out of a Postal Service box lined with pretty tissue paper.
Slow we walk and Imani places Pipi's house and belongings in the trash. I pass her Pipi's casket and slowly let go saying good bye to Pipi watching my 16 year old's reaction.
We lost Johnson our Chow when we moved here from Atlanta. I believe he died of a broken heart.
Just this past summer we lost Ali from the dynamic duo Ali and George from eating Brim. (I don't EVEN wanna go there) Such a cute chocolate Lab. Now George stands alone.
Not to mention our itty bitty dog "Stewie Lewis Masterson" this year who divorced us for an older woman. Mmm what was that about?
Imani looks over at or rather down at me and smiles. It was almost comical but I could tell she wasn't feeling it. Didn't like having to lose Pipi. For the rest of the night I heard silence. No music, no laughing at texts from messages on her cell phone. Nothing.
At this point I knew there was nothing  I could do except leave her be. Let her process that since she found her.
Well it didn't take long because in about an hour she comes upstairs and says, "Mother, I think I'll get another hamster for Christmas."
I say "Ok are you sure about that? Will you use Pipi's cage?"
"No I don't wanna give the new hamster bad energy. I'll just get a new cage too".
She slips back downstairs and I hear the sounds of Law and Order coming from the television in the living room.
For now I think Imani is going to be ok, after all we knew our time with Pipi was going to be short.
We will see what the new hamster is going to be like.
In the end the only thing I kept thinking about was ......why is it that "Elephant" Little Bill's Hamster is still alive after all these years? Hmmmmm I wonder?

Til Next Time,

Mamma (Y've)