Pets

Katy, Texas

Tucked away in a suburban development in Katy, Texas lives my mom's rather nontraditional family.

The household is five folks deep, none of them within 10 years of age. My step-dad (68), my mom (57), my sister (36), my half-brother (22), and my neice (6). Amongst whom there are many difficulties both mental and physical, but I don't much care to blog about those.

My sister, who gets a disability check every month from the Army, has instead of traditional work chosen to devote herself to running a zoo out of my mom's house. The family shares a home with dogs, cats, snakes, turtles, water dragons, leopard geckos, toads, fish, and cockroaches (in a tank).

My sister goes to the pet store every day to buy 60 baby crickets. Every night a different group of reptiles get the upstairs bathtub while she cleans out their aquariums. She has plans to move one of the turtles, which will grow to the size of a coffee table, outside to the kiddy pool in the backyard. The water dragons have already outgrown their aquariums and are now allowed free roam of the house.

In addition to humans and pets, a family of rats have joined the party. They hang out in the walls and make quite a racket during the night.

Besides the rat epidemic, further evidence of household decay:

• Cracks in furniture stuffed with crumbs and candy

• Bookshelves full of dusty encyclopedias no one will ever read

• Driveway filled with faded and broken toys no one will ever play with

And to add to the household's stuff and strain, I have come to deposit my car and dog.

My car I leave in the driveway along with the other cars, the toys, and the shit of 5 dogs.

My dog Lucius I also leave in the driveway.

I've had him since he was a puppy. Besides Lucius, I'm at a perfect place in my life to travel the world. I have money saved up and almost no responsibilities. No wife, no kids, no debts. Just my dog, who has been with me through 12 years, 6 houses, and a lot of water under the bridge. I feel pretty shitty about leaving him.

As we're leaving for the airport, he runs out the doggy door and sits obediently by the driveway gate, watching me go. I hope it's not the last time I see him.