Hammy's Big Night Out!

             The night was hers.  Slowly Hammy opened her tiny eyes and yawned her tiny yawn, (what kind of name was “Hammy” anyway?  How inventive and clever her captives were!)  The house was closing down for the night, but her people were still awake; she noticed this in the glow of the talking picture box, (T.V.),  which illuminated the room.  The voices of her captors grew quite loud as they cried out in their strange human language about her cute and adorable appearance.  This could only mean one thing; her release from her cell was near! 

             Hammy did love her captors, in spite of their ability to hold her hostage.  The held her lovingly and were careful not to harm her, (although one time their actions almost caused disaster!)  Food and water were provided, and they had brought her several “toys” to keep her amused, despite the futility of that “spinning wheel” contraption. 

               All in all her life was well, albeit slightly boring, and Hammy had learned to look forward to a new contraption:  a “ball” which they placed her in when outside of her cage, and you could see through it!  This new thing was truly inspiring as it allowed Hammy to explore the outside world.  She tried without success to touch the things she saw, but tonight, unbeknownst to her, she would finally get her chance; for tonight was the night of Hammy’s great escape! 

             During several other nights out, Hammy had realized that if she got enough momentum and speed, she could run this “vehicle’ into a wall.  Sometimes, this would result in the cockpit opening, but the humans were quick to notice this and the door was sealed shut.  But Hammy was persistent and patient; she knew that eventually she would find a way out!

           This night proceeded as any other night; they carefully placed her in the ball, put the hatch on the door, and secured the hatch by taping it shut.  There was little evidence to prove tonight any different, so Hammy rolled about the floor, hitting one wall and then another, eventually causing her people to move her front and center to monitor her activities.  Roll here, roll there; an exercise in futility and boredom.

           Suddenly, it happened.  The captors were engrossed in the talking picture box!  Quickly and efficiently Hammy gained enough steam to crash into the wall at just the right moment when the talky picture thing made a loud noise as well.  What timing; how conveniently the fates had weaved these incidents together.  One small nudge later and Hammy was FREE!

            As her species provided her great speed, Hammy wasted no time in sprinting to safety and cover.  Flit!  She slid under the door to another room.  This room was dark and foreboding to her captors but in fact welcoming to Hammy.  Here, in the dark, she had the advantage, being able to see perfectly with her little hamster eyes!  What wonders the world held!  Free at last, free at last! 

           Quickly she scurried into nirvana; on the floor lay rolls of paper, stacked neatly, and thanks to the laziness of her younger captors they were conveniently placed within her reach!  Hammy knew nothing else in the quiet of her ecstasy.  Nibbling furiously in the dark, she was oblivious to the happenings in the other room…

              By now, her captors had found her empty prison.  There was much panic in the air; children screaming hysterically, adults comforting the children while desperately searching for the little hamster that could.  Cushions were carefully removed and replaced; each step in search of the renegade hamster was taken with great care and observation.  Lights went on throughout the house and dad was awoken from his nap on the recliner. 

               “Don’t get up!” came the desperate pleas from the family, “Watch where you step!” they screamed.

                  Hammy realized her dilemma as she awoke from her dazed euphoria.  “I’m ratted out!” was all she could think.  “Oh, what to do, what to do?” she queried. 

                 The family believed that all hope was lost.  The noise would have certainly scared her further into hiding.  Quiet was the only option that remained, so they carefully sat down upon the couch, and in complete silence, they looked around, lost in their sorrow. 

                 Because she was such a young hamster, Hammy believed this silence to be indicative of the calling off of the search.  She reasoned that they must have gone to sleep, as they entertained an opposite sleeping pattern than she did.  Hammy looked for a way out, but the only way appeared to be the one she took to enter this heaven to begin with.  “Okay,” she thought, “I will proceed with caution…”Slowly she crept toward the door, and peeked her little hamster nose underneath.  Nothing.  No noise, no voices, no T.V., no movement, no commotion.  Quickly Hammy poked back in.  Plotting her strategy, she decided the best course of action would be to slide under the door, then behind the large thing her captors always sat on.  Once there, she would scurry toward the area with all the boxes of people toys, and re-think her position.  “One, two, three…Go!”

                  Hammy’s unfortunate capture had more to do with the loads of shredded paper crammed into her cheeks than with the failure of her plan.  The humans would have most likely missed her small body as it scurried behind them toward the couch.  But fate again lent a hand, though this time to Hammy’s detriment.  The noise made by her having to really push herself, and her cheeks, under the door was sufficient enough to cause her captors to look in her direction, thus successfully detaining her and ending her bid for freedom.  Alas, “Hammy’s Big Night Out” came to a close.

                  After much fuss and touching, they lovingly chided her for her indiscretion, but gave her many kisses and bid her goodnight.  They carefully placed her back in her cage and closed the lid.  Although she was back in captivity, Hammy was content to know how much her humans truly cared for her, and, after all, hadn’t she proved industrious enough to free herself, if even for just a night?