The Rabbit

E, "Guess what!?!?!?! Marine got me a rabbit!"

Giggles, "The vibrator?"

E, "....... no a real rabbit....."

So remember I told you we went in the pet store? We went in to waste time. Simple as that.


Marine and I are both animal people. And ever since the disappearance of my beloved Hyper I have not wanted another dog. The past few months Marine has dropped hints about getting me a puppy. But each time I tell him I want to wait till he gets out and we are living together. That way his German Shepard and the puppy can get used to each other and we can all be settled in together. It's easier to introduce a puppy into a new home versus bringing in two adult dogs and expecting them to get along.


I digress.


We are in the pet store and what do we see.... cute.... little.... dwarf rabbits.


You see where this is going.


Marine and I had both had rabbits as kids but we had not planned on getting another one anytime in the near future. We look at them. I oh and ah and tell him how much the one looks like the first rabbit I had as a child. It is the only solid one in the group of spotted bunnies.


"Let's get it," Marine says with a grin.


"No, we don't need a rabbit." I laugh and we continue about the store.

************

The next morning we are at Cracker Barrel and Marine whispers to me, "We still have time to go get the rabbit before I have to be back at base."

I smile, "They aren't open yet."

He looks at me surprised and his face breaks out into a smile, "Well what time do they open?"

"10," I say matter of factly as I take a sip of my Dr. Pepper.

"Perfect."

So we leave Cracker Barrel and head back to the pet store. I know we don't need a rabbit. But Marine seems so excited that we are getting a pet of "our" own. And she is just so darn cute!

As we ride back to base I carefully take her out of her box and hold her in my lap. We discuss names. Tossing ideas back and forth.

"You said you were going to buy a Harley before you deployed," I point out jokingly.

"Hahah," He nods his head laughing at my obvious joke, "Your right."

We still don't decide on a name. As we stood out in the yard he asks again what I'm going to name her.

"I don't know."

"Name her Harley that way at least I can tell my buddies I bought a Harley before I left."

So meet Harley.

Marine's gift and shot at keeping me busy while he's gone.

Also Marine's not stupid. 'Buy her a rabbit and maybe she won't cry as much.'

Not a bad move on his part.