Belinda Says Hay: “Boundaries”

Hello. It’s Belinda.

When I got home from working at my agent’s house last week, the first thing I noticed was my hay box was gone. It was actually two empty boxes pushed together with a dark blanket thrown over the top.

My roommate put the whole thing together for my boyfriend and his companion. After he died, I liked to go inside for my half-naps because it smelled like him.

I also liked to dig in there, in the dark. Tear the sides into strips and pretend I was burrowing under the house. It was just a little hobby, a project for when I wasn’t at work.

I guess my roommate didn’t catch on to all that. Because when she heard my agent drop me off, she followed me downstairs to the bottom floor and stood in the middle of the room. With a big smile on her face.

“Surprise!” she said. She swung her arm, like she was knocking things off a table but really it was to make me look all around. Not just stare at the empty spot where my hay box was supposed to be.

Turns out she cleaned the entire bottom floor while I was away. The shelving unit I like to lean against when I relax is missing. So is the blue cooler and some of the brooms.

“I finally got all of the clutter out of your office, Belinda. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

The thing is, my home office is under the steps. The rest of the room is not for working but for “living.” Sleeping, eating, relaxing, hobbies.

It’s also for the big pen, which my boyfriend’s companion and I both use, just not at the same time. We take turns and it works fine but now that pen is also gone and she’s staying in the kitchen. So I have to go upstairs to say hi through the fence.

I might chase my boyfriend’s companion but we get along when there’s a pen. It’s not her fault I run after her and push her into the wall. We can still be friends as long as we have boundaries.

Anyway, it’s going to take me weeks to get used to this new setup.

I know my roommate is only trying to give me what I need. But only I know what I need.

And what I need is for her to stay out of my space.

Sincerely,

Belinda

Spokesrabbit, Small Pet Select