1 HAMSTER HOUSEGUEST Marco Martinez didn’t see what all the fuss was about Sure hamsters were cute and it was kind of fun to watch them run around in those little plastic balls but it wasn’t as if they were as exciting as a dog or a pet monkey Regardless Dr Whiskers class pet of his youngest brother Felipe’s third-grade class was staying with them for the weekend Marco learned that every weekend some lucky third grader had the chance to bring the hamster home to take care of him while school was closed After months and months 5
of other kids being chosen it was Felipe’s turn To say he was excited was an understatement Marco Felipe called from the living room You have to see this Dr Whiskers just jumped out of his exercise wheel Marco saved the string of code he was working on and guided his wheelchair from his bedroom into the living room where his little brothers Rodrigo and Felipe and his dad were being entertained by the furry little guy All of them watched the hamster do his thing inside the little plastic take-home cage Dr Whiskers lived in during weekends The cage sat on top of the coffee table It has to freak that little hamster out Marco thought seeing all of those giant human faces watching and reporting his every move 6
The hamster had been with them for a whole Saturday already and by Sunday the rest of the family was still enchanted by the little rodent Oh look now he’s getting a drink of water their dad said He must’ve worked up quite a thirst getting his exercise Marco rolled up to the cage and looked in Sure enough the light brown hamster was standing up at the inverted bottle taking in a few delicious drops of water That’s pretty cool guys Marco said He hoped they couldn’t tell he didn’t really mean it But I’m going back to No wait Felipe shouted as if the biggest news story in the world had just broken He’s going to work on his nest some more 7
