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the time, and we wanted to be sure we were providing a good, safe home for her.
    I could hardly contain my excitement the day June came to stay. Michelle arrived with June and all of her favorite things. She handed me a bag filled with organic fruits and vegetables, reminding me that “June only eats organic vegan * food.” Not a problem, I assured her, as Jameth and I eat only organic vegan food ourselves. I promised her that June would receive the best of care.
    I admired June’s beautiful dark gray—almost black—coat, and for the first time, I noticed her soft white underbelly, not yet realizing what a comfort such bellies would become in my life. I then set June free to fully explore her new home. Michelle tried to leave before the tears began to flow, promising that she’d come back to visit during her breaks. I assured her that we would give June a wonderful life. And June became part of our family.
    At long last, I had an animal to love and care for, and I grew to love June perhaps more than any animal I had known before. It seemed that the older I got, the more I was able to love and the harder it was to lose my loved ones when they died. I had always thought it would be the opposite; that it would get easier. June was already old for a rat when I became her guardian, so I tried not to even think about the eventual outcome.
    When June entered my life, my whole world changed. I hadn’t had a rat companion since my school days, and June brought with her all of the wide-eyed joy of youth that I had almost forgotten. I was delighted that Jameth had warmed up to her immediately. Then again, who wouldn’t? She was a very charming and affectionate little lady. She ate with us, played with us, worked with us, and slept with us. She amused us, comforted us, and taught us.
    June helped us get our priorities in order, and she reminded us of the meaning of life, which we had almost forgotten. She was truly our little angel all wrapped up in fur. Friends often asked about her and came to visit her, and Jameth and I soon became known around town as “June’s parents.” She quickly won the hearts of friends and customers, and most of all, of her new human companions.
    Early on, it was June who decided she would sleep with us. Worried that we might roll over on her, we tightened the sheets around our necks and refused to let her under the covers with us. However, June was persistent, and before long, ours was a bed for three. Each night, the scene was the same: two humans and one rat all in a row, lying on our backs in identical positions. When Jameth rolled over on his side, I rolled over on my side and snuggled up to him. And June, without fail, rolled over on her side and snuggled up to me. It was a scene straight out of a Disney movie that we looked forward to every night.
    Somehow, I felt that taking care of June was the most important responsibility I had ever been entrusted with, so I took my role as June’s primary caretaker very seriously. Although I was well versed in vegan nutrition for humans, I was unsure of the nutritional requirements for rats and wanted to be sure June received the best of care. So I did my homework and saw to it that June was eating a balanced vegan diet.
    To further bolster her health, Jameth and I began mixing various herbs and other nutritious plant foods into a green mush. June absolutely loved the green mush and could hardly contain herself as I mixed a fresh batch for her each morning.
    Over time, we experimented and added other herbal ingredients—known for extending lifespan—to the formula. June thrived, and her coat soon grew in thicker, darker (more black and less gray), shinier and healthier than ever before. She became more muscular and strong, and it seemed that she was having a “second youth.”
    People began to comment on June’s amazingly healthy appearance, asking what we were doing to keep her so healthy. They wanted some of this green mush for their own animal