CHIPPY

When I was a young boy, I had a pet hamster named Chippy.  Chippy was nocturnal.  I eventually learned to sleep to the never-ending squeek of his running wheel.

We were alike in one respect:  I always picked the almonds out of my Mom's bowl of mixed nuts;  Chippy always picked the sunflower seeds out of his tray of food!

Occasionally, I would put corn curls in his cage and watch him stuff them into his side-cheek-pouches.  By the time he got one in each side, he nearly doubled in size! 

Chippy loved to travel with me.  He went to church a few times and nearly always accompanied me at Family Camp.  He rode in my shirt pocket.  It was fun to watch people's responses when they would see my shirt start to move.  Then, when Chippy peeked out of my pocket, their eyes would nearly bug out! 

Chippy helped me get through many LONG evening services at Tri-State Camp.  I would sit on one end of the old, board 'pews' and Bobby Edinfield would sit at the other.  We would each have a supply of sunflower seeds.  Chippy would scoot back-and-forth across the bench shelling and eating.  When he was done, we'd simply sweep the seed-shells off into the straw on the dirt floor!   :-)

Chippy broke out one day and was MIA for over a week.  I found him again though, with my Mom's help.  Her warning scream brought me running when Chippy shot out across the kitchen floor!