Wierd Pets

My dad never liked normal pets. He grew up in the country where animals had to contribute - cats caught mice and dogs herded and protected. Anyway, the pets we had were not merely house pets. Oh, no. Not in the Guile house.
Our pets ranged from 3 orphaned piglets to a red fox to a capuchen ring-tailed monkey to a macaw parrot. There were a couple of cats, dogs, goldfish, turtles, birds and guinea pigs thrown in also. (Mom threatened us with death if a snake were ever brought in - not just the death of the snake, either.)
The monkey was probably the most interesting pet we ever had - and the most challenging. My folks went to Bwana Don's pet shop in Detroit and bought the cutest little monkey named Pepe you've ever seen. Looks can be deceiving. Never judge a book by it's cover. Etc., etc., etc.
Mom and Daddy kept the monkey in his cage in their bedroom until Christmas morning. They locked the door so no one could get in. They bought 10 pounds worth of bananas to keep Pepe happy. He hated bananas. That should have been an insight for the 6 months to come.
Christmas morning came, the monkey was presented to my older brothers, Dan and Dennis, and a new world opened up in the Guile household. A world of laughter, confusion, stinky monkey smells, screams...you name it and this little monkey could cause it.
I have stories to tell about this little critter that could keep everyone in stitches, but blogs aren't supposed to be long, so I'll keep quiet for a little - hold you in suspense (LOL!!!).