A Christmas Story
December 2010
What the heck was I getting myself into as I heard those words, "Mom, I want a lizard for Christmas. Santa brings anything you want, right?"
Those words now haunt me.
My son Nickolas stopped by a pet-store some time ago with my Mom and instantly fell in love with a crested gecko. I haven't heard anything else since. I took it upon myself to take a look at this creature that I in no way wanted. Snakes, lizards, frogs and such don't bother me, but for a pet? Yuck! I like sticking with more traditional, farm animals. Cute and fuzzy.
Sure enough, it was yuck alright. This little guy, deformed tail and all was the most hideous creature I had ever seen. Bulging eyes, human like skin, slithery coat, pointy dinosaur like head, and practically suction cups as feet. You have no idea how hard I tried to divert him to think of something else from Santa. I finally got to the point where I told him Santa doesn't bring live animals for Christmas, they would all die on such a journey. But he was persistent.
Dan and I decided, okay, it's really what he wants, we can do this, get the specific one he wanted. I figured I could wait a couple of weeks so I would not have to worry about hiding it too long before Christmas. "Come on, it's not like people are fighting over geckos for Christmas, are they?"
I call Amazing Pets the other day and come to find out someone had placed a deposit on the gecko. Nightmares ran through my head! I asked about the other gecko and clerk told me the guy wanted both. "Great, just what I needed," I said. I went on to explain my situation and he had told me to call back in a couple of days and I may have that 10% chance the guy doesn't show up. I got off the phone as my big eared, nosy 7-year old Benjamin was listening to the whole story.
Yep, that night he told Nickolas his gecko was sold. I at the time was at a candle-lighting when I got the call. Nickolas was crying his eyes out. I talked to him trying to explain anything, but how do I explain? I didn't expect that to happen. I told Nickolas for some reason it wasn't meant to be. That didn't help, nothing did.
A couple days later, I called. Lo and behold, the guy never showed up!! "Yippee!" I paid for them immediately over the phone and told them I would be there first thing the next morning. Yes, I said both, I bought the two. Don't ask me why other than they were 50% off and I hate to see lonely pets. But what luck! Total: $74.20.
Now what? I am not ready, I need a cage, food, and figure out how to even care for such a thing. I can do this I told myself. So I went online researching what I needed to get for shopping the next morning.
I go to Petco asking at least a million questions to this poor soul that had to help me. As I wander asking questions, I am viewing cages and telling her about the crabs fighting, another that couldn't get up, and a lizard totally emancipated hoping for some attention. "Whew!", glad I came in today.
Thankfully she took care of the little guys and along the way my cart grew from having a plant to a reptilian-all in one-tank, food dishes, water dishes, hiding log, to a little thinga-ma-jiggy cave that you can view the lizards from the outside as they lay inside. You know what I mean.
Then I knew, I had to break down asking for live feed. Yes, I said it, live feed! Crickets and meal-worms. Myself of all people are going to actually feed a cricket or a meal-worm to a lizard? How could I even consider doing such a thing? I can't even kill a fly! "Oh, for the lizard of God!" I say.
Total:$105.89.
Out in the parking lot of Petco, I stripped all products of their packaging as I set up the tank in my van so I can get the geckos. Looked pretty darn cool. Then off to the Amazing Pet pet-store where our beloved new pets await. To be honest with you, I was actually getting a little excited.
I get there, give them my name, again having to ask at least one million more questions on the little guys. Yes, they told me they were two boys. "You think I could get a girl in this household?" I asked the owner. He looked at me funny as I told him I have four boys and all of my pets were boys too. Dogs, cat, cockatiels, chickens. "Oh, the chickens, that's right, I have four hens," I said. I felt better. As I rambled on, the owner of Amazing Pets was truly amazing, telling me stories of the crested gecko. He really knows his crested geckos! Did you know they were almost extinct at one time? I must be really buying something special!
As our conversation led over to more of their products, I asked about the cricket keeper. I just then realized, not only do I have to feed the crickets to the geckos, I have to feed the crickets too! More pets! Ughh! That's right, I have to maintain a proper diet and habitat for these crickets too! "Okay, I'll take the cricket keeper, that food over there, and this over here. Oh,for the lizard of God!" I say. Total: $28.59
Total Christmas gift: $208.68
Thanks Nickolas, I hope you read this someday and realize the effort your loving parents will do for such a gift. I hope you take care of them and enjoy them for the 15 years that they live! Yep, that's right,15 years! You will be,what,25 by then?
"Oh, for the Lizard of God!"
What the heck was I getting myself into as I heard those words, "Mom, I want a lizard for Christmas. Santa brings anything you want, right?"
Those words now haunt me.
My son Nickolas stopped by a pet-store some time ago with my Mom and instantly fell in love with a crested gecko. I haven't heard anything else since. I took it upon myself to take a look at this creature that I in no way wanted. Snakes, lizards, frogs and such don't bother me, but for a pet? Yuck! I like sticking with more traditional, farm animals. Cute and fuzzy.
Sure enough, it was yuck alright. This little guy, deformed tail and all was the most hideous creature I had ever seen. Bulging eyes, human like skin, slithery coat, pointy dinosaur like head, and practically suction cups as feet. You have no idea how hard I tried to divert him to think of something else from Santa. I finally got to the point where I told him Santa doesn't bring live animals for Christmas, they would all die on such a journey. But he was persistent.
Dan and I decided, okay, it's really what he wants, we can do this, get the specific one he wanted. I figured I could wait a couple of weeks so I would not have to worry about hiding it too long before Christmas. "Come on, it's not like people are fighting over geckos for Christmas, are they?"
I call Amazing Pets the other day and come to find out someone had placed a deposit on the gecko. Nightmares ran through my head! I asked about the other gecko and clerk told me the guy wanted both. "Great, just what I needed," I said. I went on to explain my situation and he had told me to call back in a couple of days and I may have that 10% chance the guy doesn't show up. I got off the phone as my big eared, nosy 7-year old Benjamin was listening to the whole story.
Yep, that night he told Nickolas his gecko was sold. I at the time was at a candle-lighting when I got the call. Nickolas was crying his eyes out. I talked to him trying to explain anything, but how do I explain? I didn't expect that to happen. I told Nickolas for some reason it wasn't meant to be. That didn't help, nothing did.
A couple days later, I called. Lo and behold, the guy never showed up!! "Yippee!" I paid for them immediately over the phone and told them I would be there first thing the next morning. Yes, I said both, I bought the two. Don't ask me why other than they were 50% off and I hate to see lonely pets. But what luck! Total: $74.20.
Now what? I am not ready, I need a cage, food, and figure out how to even care for such a thing. I can do this I told myself. So I went online researching what I needed to get for shopping the next morning.
I go to Petco asking at least a million questions to this poor soul that had to help me. As I wander asking questions, I am viewing cages and telling her about the crabs fighting, another that couldn't get up, and a lizard totally emancipated hoping for some attention. "Whew!", glad I came in today.
Thankfully she took care of the little guys and along the way my cart grew from having a plant to a reptilian-all in one-tank, food dishes, water dishes, hiding log, to a little thinga-ma-jiggy cave that you can view the lizards from the outside as they lay inside. You know what I mean.
Then I knew, I had to break down asking for live feed. Yes, I said it, live feed! Crickets and meal-worms. Myself of all people are going to actually feed a cricket or a meal-worm to a lizard? How could I even consider doing such a thing? I can't even kill a fly! "Oh, for the lizard of God!" I say.
Total:$105.89.
Out in the parking lot of Petco, I stripped all products of their packaging as I set up the tank in my van so I can get the geckos. Looked pretty darn cool. Then off to the Amazing Pet pet-store where our beloved new pets await. To be honest with you, I was actually getting a little excited.
I get there, give them my name, again having to ask at least one million more questions on the little guys. Yes, they told me they were two boys. "You think I could get a girl in this household?" I asked the owner. He looked at me funny as I told him I have four boys and all of my pets were boys too. Dogs, cat, cockatiels, chickens. "Oh, the chickens, that's right, I have four hens," I said. I felt better. As I rambled on, the owner of Amazing Pets was truly amazing, telling me stories of the crested gecko. He really knows his crested geckos! Did you know they were almost extinct at one time? I must be really buying something special!
As our conversation led over to more of their products, I asked about the cricket keeper. I just then realized, not only do I have to feed the crickets to the geckos, I have to feed the crickets too! More pets! Ughh! That's right, I have to maintain a proper diet and habitat for these crickets too! "Okay, I'll take the cricket keeper, that food over there, and this over here. Oh,for the lizard of God!" I say. Total: $28.59
Total Christmas gift: $208.68
Thanks Nickolas, I hope you read this someday and realize the effort your loving parents will do for such a gift. I hope you take care of them and enjoy them for the 15 years that they live! Yep, that's right,15 years! You will be,what,25 by then?
"Oh, for the Lizard of God!"
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