After Yuki my first rabbit died, I experienced a great void. A rabbit is a silly little thing, that is unique in the animal kingdom. They always remind me of unicorns. It seem so unlikely that they should exist; even more unlikely that they should be perfectly adapted for human contact. I waited two years until my search began for a new rabbit, out of respect for Yuki.
During those 2 years I had traveled and started University. I was 20 years old, and about to move out into a my own apartment! I had experienced the love Yuki had for the freedom of the outdoors and love she had for me as a result, so I actually did research on what was required for a free range house bunny. I was convinced I could litter train a bunny.
I browsed for rabbits on the SPCA website. I wanted to adopt, there I found a bunny named Jazz, a sweet little Japanese Harlequin Rabbit. I could not wait, it was still a month until I officially moved in, but I fell in love with this rabbit. I needed him! He was perfect! I was so worried he would be adopted before I could adopt him. As luck would have it, I received a call from my landlord that night, he told me I would be able to get the keys to the apartment early to paint.
I picked up the keys, and then went straight to the SPCA to get Jazz. I renamed Jazz, Gaston Lachaille. The first night, we slept on the floor together. My furniture was not to arrive for a while, I was not really meant to be living in the apartment yet, only painting so I slept on a blow up mattress for weeks. Gaston was so loving from the start! He brilliantly understood the concept of potty training. It was rewarding to get a rabbit from the SPCA and the animal be perfect!
That was until Gaston met my mum …
My mum met Gaston and said to me, “He does not look like a regular rabbit he looks odd, he has a big nose!” How rude! Mum had been use to my Yuki, and she had her own rabbit Coco, a floppy chocolate colour bunny. Gaston was a very different breed, from both Yuki and Coco.
I really did not mind mum’s comment about Gaston. But it seems Gaston did! One would never think a rabbit is capable of understanding a human or that a rabbit would be vengeful. But Gaston certainly is!
No more than 10 minutes after mum’s comment did Gaston trip my mother, or in his view the women that call him odd! Gaston has never ever, in the 6 years since then, ever tripped me, my dad or a guest! He tripped my mum almost every time she visited. Each time it happened, my mum would call him a stupid bunny, so Gaston would trip her again.
It was not simply tripping, Gaston was so determined and well placed, it would make her fall. The only time I have ever seen Gaston with so much determination, forethought and pure evilness, is when he tries to scare the cats when they visit my apartment, but that’s another story for another time.
Mum who so loved banana peel gags, certainly did not appreciate Gaston wicked humour when directed at her.
Although I can see Gaston’s wicked nature he has to others who are cruel to him or at times simply because I think he wants a bunny laugh, he has always been sweet and loving to me. To those thinking of getting a rabbit, I highly recommend them, they have such personalities, and can be right arse, which make them even more special.
Farewell
Stories She Told 