Tail # 9 Ashley

  I once had a free range rabbit named Ashley living under foot. Not that she came to her name or even liked me for the matter. I had bought her at a pet store of all places and before I went to the trouble of a cage; I saw her make her business on a newspaper. I thought that this gave me on idea and I began to train little Ashley. She took to it really well and before long she learned to potty on the paper.
  For months she hopped around my house without really making a fuss or bother. Until one day I noticed a smell in my room. It was like a cat box but worse. I followed my noise and found what was causing the foul smell easy enough. She had found a dark place under my water bed to make the before mentioned practice. It was bad and I needed it cleaned up. I went about draining my bed and pulling the bedding clear.
  After a few hours work the room smelled better and my life continued. I was surprise at how much little Ashley had gotten away with by the simple fact that I had not paid attention to her. I blocked the holes and thought it would help.  She just found another place to potty and then stopped using the paper all together. She started to look for lack of a better word, depressed. I went to the pet store and asked the woman behind that counter for some advice.
  She said, "Ah, I see your problem, I have just the thing that you need in the back."
  I followed her down the aisle and into the back where she stored some cages. She stopped and pointed.
  "But I like her to be free," I answered the unspoken question.
  The lady said, "Sir, she is a rabbit. She thinks your home is her home and in fact it is nothing but a larger cage."
  What that woman said had stuck with me over the years. I released little Ashley behind my apartments. She never came back to me, but I saw her a few times hopping around enjoying her life.  She liked the freedom and I like the clean smelling house.