Piggy's Last Wish

My sister's guinea pig, “Dudette” (formerly known as “Dude” until she gave birth in the middle of the night) died of natural causes a few years ago. I’m not sure if you’re all aware of this but in order to dispose of the body you have three options: 1) Pay a vet to toss it in the disintegrator with the rest of the dogs and cats; 2) Pay a fortune for a legal grave; 3) Wait until night fall and bury it illegally in a park (Shhh don't tell).

So Robin and I waited until night fall and drove around looking for the perfect park that we thought Piggy would like to be buried in (or the most private). We drive by what is called “Waterfall Park” and we decide that they have nice flower beds in there that aren’t usually put to use in the spring due to lack of city funding. Perfect. Robin parks her car and we prepare our tools: small shovel, check – coffin, check – mittens, check. We’re ready to set off to our grave digging business. We get out of the car and Robin hands me the shovel and she carries the Puma shoe box (coffin) with her beloved pig in it.

Then we set off down the path to Waterfall Park. The snow has almost all melted but a sudden flash snowing has caused the sidewalks to be a little slippery and I almost fall like twelve times on the walk down alone. Robin makes a sound of amusement and tells me to hurry up –like I was messing around on purpose or something. Carefully we begin testing the ground for soft spots because it's winter so digging is going to be fun...and I get the privilege of trying to dig up frozen ground. I was told it’s because I’m stronger but really, I think she just wanted the pleasure of watching me struggle with a shovel in winter gear. After a rather lengthy search it would appear that the raised flower bed will be our best option as it sinks under our foot steps almost immediately. So I set to digging.

Perhaps four scoops of dirt later a lone man walks by on the outskirts of the park on a path that leads around the lake. He of course looks at us while he walks by questioning our being there with a shovel, digging in the middle of the night. I am wearing a neon green jacket, black toque and grey mittens - Not exactly inconspicuous by any means. Both Robin & I stop our activity to stare back. Finally, I shrug and say “For all he knows, we’re burying a time capsule.” And I go back to digging away. Then I hit the clay portion of the dirt...I look at Robin and I say, "We're not burying the box too are we? We'll be here all night if I have to dig deep enough for the box."
Robin gives me this forlorn look and says "But, she needs a coffin!” She looks down at the box, at the hole and then back at me, “Ok...well at least put this garbage bag around her so I don't have to see her dead body lying in a hole."

I take the box and turn away from her so she doesn't see me move the body out of the box into the wraps of the bag. At this time I’d like to mention that I can not handle dead animals, bugs or fish. The idea of me touching a dead creature gives me the heebie jeebies. But, it’s my baby sister and for her I push my girlie tendencies aside. Having finished securing the pig in the holds of the army green garbage bag I grab the bundle and feel her rigor mortis leg pushing against my finger tip through the bag. I make a sad face, breath once and turn around to put the pig in her final resting place. Then suddenly the head and front leg flops out of my grasp and stares Robin in the face. She makes a face I rarely ever see - morbidly upset. "Oh my god her head! Cover it! Cover it!" Robin continues to freak out until I tuck the pig back in and put her lovingly in her grave and proceed to fill the hole back in. I look around and see with the fresh snow fall...it's going to be pretty obvious someone was in here digging around. We each make a half hearted attempt to place snow on the freshly turned ground but our efforts are in vain. I make a silent wish that our witness doesn't come back to check out what we were doing. Robin and I walk back to the car, arms linked and laughing at how sketchy we must have looked. All this to give her pig a proper good bye. The things a sister does...