Jude, the Good Pig

L to R: Sayid, Busy and Jude when they first came home from the Onalaska Humane Society

It has been a crazy two weeks around here, and even the animals have seemed a little off--or in Dickens' case, a lot off--but I did not expect to come home tonight and find that the Good Pig Jude, smaller of two brothers, had passed away from unknown causes during my absence. There were still a few dandelion leaves left in the pen from when I picked them over lunch.

So at a funeral attended by thousands (of mosquitoes) I buried Jude in the back yard next to his other brother, Sayid. I rolled the biggest rock I could find over there, rolling right over somebody else's damn pet's poop. Nice memorial. I was halfway there, though, and it was fucking heavy, so I cleaned it off with grass and laid it in its place. I'm sure we'll get plenty more rain to clean that off.

Now Busy is alone in the big pen and Pickles in his smaller condo. When I return from Chicago I can build a separator wall and put them both in the large one. Since they do not know each other and are unaltered males, they would most certainly fight if I tried to introduce them now. That's the last thing we need.

You were always a little guy, Jude, but you were a Good Pig, and you will be missed not only by your brother and me, but by your many human friends.

I buried you with more fresh dandelion leaves, since you didn't get a chance to finish the ones from earlier. I love you.


Jude and Busy waiting for their new home in Columbus.