This is Hare-iette's Mom writing.
We just learned that one of Hare-iette's brothers has been
living nearby. He had been adopted from the big barn long before Hare-iette and
she hadn't heard from him since.
One day I got a phone call from a very
upset social worker. She said she had a most unusual situation. Her client was
an elderly lady who could no longer stay at home and was going into a nursing
home. The problem was that this lady had a big hare living with her. This hare
could talk and acted just like a human child. The hare wasn't allowed to go to
the nursing home. Children's sevices couldn't take him since he is a hare. Animal
services wouldn't take him since he is more like a child. What was she going to
do with him? Someone had told her that I had a similar hare and maybe I could
help. I just happened to know a very nice couple who was anxious to adopt just such a hare. I told her I'd take care of him until I could take him
to his new parents.
That social worker certainly was relieved. She rushed over with the poor
little fellow and shoved him in the door to me, without so much as a shirt on
his back. All she said was that his name was James Hare-iott.
She quickly shoved in a little bag with his only possessions. That lady
fled like a frightened hare.
I gave James his bag and told him to have a seat on the sofa while I got him
some milk and cookies. When I came back in the room, he was curled up on the
sofa crying his little heart out.
Just then Hare-iette came in. She jumped up on the sofa next to him and said, "What's wrong, Tinker, why are you crying?"
James looked around and said, "Helper? Is it really you?"
Brother and sister gave each other a big hug. They were really happy to see
each other.
Hare-iette explained to me later that when they lived in the big barn, they all had the same official name. That got really confusing, so they gave each other nicknames based on their personalities or what they liked to do. James was called Tinker because he loved to tinker with anything mechanical or electronic. Hare-iette was called Helper because she was always ready and willing to help anyone.
Hare-iette got James settled down, and after they finished their milk and
cookies, they sat and talked for a long time.
James explained that he had been adopted by the elderly lady and they had been very happy together for several years. His Mom had let him help deciding what his name would be. They finally decided on James Hare-iot after the man who wrote his favorite books. That's what was in his little bag, 2 books, All Creatures Great and Small and All Things Bright and Beautiful both by James Harriot.
James went on to explain how sad he was and how scared. He loved his Mom and missed her. He didn't know what was going to happen to him.Was he going to be all alone now? He and his Mom had talked it over for weeks, trying to figure out a way they could stay together. They couldn't come up with a plan. Then, suddenly, his Mom got sick and had to go to the hospital. Everything happened really fast after that. His Mom recovered and went straight to the nursing home. He hadn't even said goodbye. James started to cry again. Hare-iette told him he could call his Mom in the morning, if he wanted. That made James feel much better. He couldn't wait until morning to talk to his Mom.
We told James about the the couple that wanted to adopt him. We told him how nice they are, and how much they want him. They wouldn't be the same as his first Mom, could never take her place, but they would take good care of him and make him happy. James thought about that and decided it would be OK, as long as he could call his first Mom sometimes. It might be nice to have a Dad too. They could do "guy things" together.
When it was time for bed, Hare-iette asked James if he wanted to read one of his books for a while before he went to sleep. James said he didn't know how to read, his Mom always read to him. Hare-iette, being the sweet hare she is, read to him, so he'd feel more at home.
