Rest in peace my dear Foamy... you're the first bunny I have ever ever ever befriended in my life. You're one of the most adorable honeys that ever came into the lives of Clarice, Wei Ning and me, especially Clarice's.
I still remember day one with you. March 15th 2007.
It was the March holidays. Wei Ning had invited Clarice and I for a sleepover. We were going to cross Bishan Park when all of a sudden I caught sight of something black and white and furry with long ears hopping in the field.
"BUNNY!"
And immediately we realised, someone heartless must've abandoned you. Some unkind soul just left you there, with nothing but a cardboard box. We knew a domestic rabbit couldn't survive under such harsh conditions, what with all the monkeys and dogs in the park that could attack you, the weather... we knew we had to get you somewhere safe.
Of course you didn't trust us at first. Why would you? People in your life had let you down. They abandoned you. Why should you trust us humans? We ended up chasing a few good rounds around the field, across the carpark, under the bridge. You went everywhere. Hiding in potholes, scurrying under a slab of ant-infested cement, even hopping under the bridge where you risked a fall into the deep canal. A kind man with his wife and kids even stopped by to help us get you. He wanted you safe too. He managed to catch you in the very same cardboard box you were abandoned in, and handed it to us.
Wei Ning then called her dad to pick us up, because, honestly, how are we going to cross six lanes of rush-hour traffic with a frightened, cold and hungry bunny in a damp cardboard box that's going to give way anytime? We made our way rather slowly and gingerly to the sidewalk to wait for Wei Ning's dad when, without warning, you hopped out of the box and escaped again. Once again, you sent us running all over the field, trying to get you back in, trying to assure you that we ain't gonna hurt you, and in that same defiant attitude you've always had, you just won't.
Perhaps you got tired, perhaps you got hungry. Finally we could approach you without having you run away from us. I remembered we had nuts. Organic ones. So we offered you some, and you accepted them, munching quietly, while we told you things were gonna be okay. We ain't gonna hurt you. We ain't gonna abandon you. We'll give you food and shelter, but first be nice and cooperate, alright? And we had you back in the box in no time.
Not without leaving large, deep teeth marks in my finger, of course. Foamy never surrenders easily.
You were so scared, we could see that in your eyes. You were shaking with fear, shuddering with every hump and bump Wei Ning's dad's car drove over. Each of us wanted to put a reassuring hand on your back, but we risked getting teeth marks on our fingers!
Finally we got home. Everyone who was present looked on curiously. A rabbit? Abandoned in a park?
We housed you in one of Wei Ning's old and bigger birdcages. We couldn't really think of what to feed you, so we asked for some green leafy vegetables. Immediately you behaved like a punk — you chewed on the leaves, but you wouldn't eat the stalks, not even for nuts!
And you looked like a punk too — black fur around each eye, just like dark eye make-up; shaggy black and white fur; and, one of the most distinct features of yours ever, a black-and-white mohawk in between those beautiful ears. That mohawk was truly your trademark!
And we wanted to give you a name, a gender-neutral one because we couldn't tell if you were a boy or a girl rabbit. Then I had a brainwave.
"Let's call you Foamy then, since you're such a badass punk like Foamy the Squirrel!"
The next day, we got up real early (which is quite a miracle for us) and went down to Thomson Plaza to get you stuff you need - food, water-bottle and shampoo, and went home and tried to give you a bath.
Three girls. One rabbit. No rules.
It was even more exhausting than running a marathon; you skipped and hopped and kicked and scratched and peed so much, we ended up getting more shampoo and water on ourselves than we did on you.
I still remember — Wei Ning with the shower head, Clarice with the shampoo, and me with the towel. You definitely lived up to your namesake.
When we finally did get you significantly cleaner, it was time for us to part. Or, at least, my mom asked me to go and meet her in Orchard Rd. And of course when I asked I was disallowed to keep you. In the end, we decided you'd live with Clarice, and in retrospect I guess it couldn't have been better. I still remember how Clarice asked her brother, "You want a pet rabbit?" and Claven said yes. And Clara didn't mind. Their mother had no choice! But Auntie came to adore you so much too. Pretty much everyone you knew did.
I still remember how sometimes after school I would go to Clarice's house and we'd pretend to study Chemistry, then when Auntie isn't looking we'd go play with you, stuff you with treats and fruits, chase you round and round and clean the couch where you loved to "make your mark". I'd end up staying well past my curfew of 7 and then poor Auntie would have to send me home.
In a way I have you to thank for letting me meet my Vondy. If not for you, Clarice wouldn't have to go down to Frankie's shop to get your supplies, and I wouldn't know of his shop, and I wouldn't have the chance to meet Vondy and bring her home. It's really sad you never really got to meet Vondy, but thank you, Foamy, for giving me the opportunity to meet Vondy. You two would've been wonderful friends even though you didn't like hamsters, because whenever Clarice goes to her grandma's house and play with hamsters, you'd get so jealous! That I call a typically sweet Foamy.
The last time I was with you was in February, a few weeks before your "birthday". You behaved so well, save for a some growling and occasional mood-swings. You made yourself right at home at Wei Ning's house. Wei Ning's grandma was so happy to see you again, so overjoyed you had come to visit. Mean little you didn't finish the banana she gave you, but at least you were so sweet during your stay at Wei Ning's. You even went to sniff and lick Wei Ning when she drank her Bacardi Breezer too fast and passed out on the couch. We were watching Beetlejuice at 2AM and drinking Bacardi Breezer and eating junk food.
The next day, Auntie offered to drive me home. You were behaving so well in the car, which wasn't always the case. Auntie and Clarice of course knew you could be worse.
We swerved round Begonia Rd, and all of a sudden you hopped over to me and sat on my lap, and looked at me with those pleading eyes. You didn't want me to go.
"So sorry, Foamy, but I have to go... but I'll see you soon, I promise, okay?"
I love you Foamy.
7th April 2008, 9:32PM: Edited - it's "Bunny!" now.