[Gpdd] Rainbow Bridge - Midnight

[Ricthecollector at aol.com]

Dear friends, 
 
    I received several notes about problems with thr web  link I provided 
to those wishing to read the local newspaper''s story on  Mourning Midnight 
and the Guinea Pig birthday party in my wife's kindergarten  classroom.  
Therefore, with Gpdd permission, I hope, I and forwarding a  copy of the story, 
which appeared on April 8, to be posted.  
    
 
Mourning Midnight - for good reason 
 
By: KATE FRATTI
Bucks County Courier Times

 
I love animals as much as the next guy, but I wondered about the grown man  
who shared with me his profound grief at the passing of his 2-pound guinea  
pig. 
I'm talking Cavia porcellu - a species of rodent.  
Ric Sabatini of Holly Hill, a former union organizer and retired police  
reporter for a major city newspaper and chairman of Bristol Township's Civil  
Service Commission, was dabbing at his eyes over a glossy black rodent. 
He wasn't saying his pet's death was front page above-the-fold news, but  
surely it was noteworthy. I confess, I rolled my eyeballs. 
It's true that Midnight, 7, was the first-place winner of this newspaper's  
Pet Star contest in 2006, so he had some local notoriety. But seriously, 
Ric,  we're talking about an animal that is still considered a food source in 
the  Andes, where the species originated. This wasn't Lassie. It was a 
snack. 
When I didn't jump at the chance to write Midnight's obituary, Ric sent me 
an  invitation to a birthday party for two of his surviving nine "piggies." 
I guess  he figured I needed some sensitivity training. The bash would be 
held in his  wife Denise's kindergarten classroom at Walt Disney School in 
Tullytown. Other  guinea pigs had been invited, too, all of them belonging to 
students or  staff. 
The much-loved teacher, by all accounts a perfectly sensible and sane 
woman,  had made little party hats for each piggy. This I had to see. Also, I 
figured  there might be cupcakes. 
There were lots of cupcakes. Festively iced, fresh-baked beauties sat on a  
table to frame a specially ordered sheet cake adorned with a sugary guinea 
pig  portrait. There were noisemakers, too, and goody bags - not just for 
the  kindergartners but for all the pet piggies. Too many pigs to count and 
all  decked out in immaculately groomed guinea pig cages to celebrate the 
birth date  of pigs Dewey and Louie. (Huey passed in 2007.) 
To her credit, Denise Sabatini, who'll retire from teaching this year after 
a  stellar 36-year run, once had some perspective about guinea pigs. "Why 
would I  want a rodent in the house?" she asked years ago when a student's 
mom offered  her the family pet. 
But then Denise made the mistake of looking into the creature's eyes, 
petting  its tiny head and letting it cuddle in her arms. She was hooked. There's 
 something about wee creatures that moves Denise. Ask the parents of the  
kindergartners who marvel at her dedication to their kids. 
Anyway, the Sabatinis adopted the pig, and then one thing led to another, 
and  eventually anyone who needed a home for a guinea pig called the 
Sabatinis.  
It always proved a good move for the pig. There are people who don't live 
as  well as the Sabatini pets. Ric makes special trips to Wegman's in 
Princeton for  dandelion greens for them. He keeps a "bento box" of crisp veg
etables and herbs  for the animals' snacking.  
The piggies also dine on first-cut timothy hay and play with special piggy  
toys. They see a veterinarian for checkups. Their crates are kept 
meticulous,  and every day, another piggy gets a turn to go to school with Denise so 
it gets  all the attention it could crave from kids. Midnight especially was 
helpful in  teaching reading, I'm told. 
Denise confides her favorite guinea pig is Junie, a sweet, affectionate,  
multicolor little ball of fur that looks up into Denise's face when she is  
talking to her. Kindergarten teachers love that sort of thing. 
Each of the pigs has its own quirks, personality traits and favorites out 
of  the bento box, Ric says. They make noises to communicate, rush to the 
cage door  to greet you when you step into a room and happily snuggle against 
your neck  while you are watching TV. 
That is why he is adamant that each has a soul - a divine spark of life 
that  has provided him comfort and affection. That's a spark you grieve when 
it's  gone. 
Crazy to mourn a guinea pig? Ric and Denise think you'd have to be crazy 
not  t 
END OF STORY  
Thanks again to all our friends.  Hope you enjoyed the story. 
Ric & Denise Sabatini  

 

 
 
 
 
 









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