What's the big deal...sheesh!

[MissFormosa]

I gotta vent...

Yesterday evening I had to take one of the guys to the vet because I suspected a URI. The vet is on Staten Island and I live Brooklyn, so I just had to take a bus over the Verrazano and then another bus to the animal hospital...but the trip is about 40 minutes...if there is no bridge traffic. It took me over an hour though because I'm an idiot and I can't read a bus map (I'm from California).

Since moving here 2 years ago, I have observed that New Yorkers for the most part keep to themselves, unless they feel a need to yell at you because you have made some sort of annoyance. I wish they would have kept to themselves yesterday!

As if it wasn't hellish enough that the weather is awful here, like locking yourself in a small bathroom with the hot water steaming it up, it seemed like everyone had something to say about my pig. I was so annoyed and gave myself such a bad headache from clenching my jaw shut, but unlike a native New Yorker, I didn't have the moxie to yell at anyone. I get so mad at myself about this too. I just can't bring myself to yell at people....ugh!

Anyways, I had my piggie in his little carrier and to provide some comfort so he wouldn't be terrified, I put a lite burpy cloth over the top and attached it with two binder clips. But I didn't want him to have a lack of circulation, so the short sides of the carrier were left uncovered and the sides that the cloth draped over weren't secured down so in the breeze the draped sides would blow up a little to provide more air. I hope that makes sense. Well, basically what I am trying to describe is that you could only see the little guy if you looked in one of the short sides or lifted up the cloth draped over the top and two long sides of the carrier.

Don't you know, everyone and their grandmother had to go peeking into the carrier. You'd think I had some extra rare species of zoological wonder in there. I tried setting the carrier on my lap with the covered sides facing out and my hands a little on the sides that weren't covered so he would be a little more hidden. People even had the wherewithall to lift the cloth to see what it was! Talk about invasion of personal space! Geez!

I got asked a hundred times what it was. I was trying to ignore these people, but my daughter kept piping up to say it's a sick guinea pig even when I told her to knock it off. I wish I'd had some duct tape. So now people start to freak out.

A few people looked like they didn't want to be near it because it's "a rodent". They make this really uncomfortable look and stare. Big fat deal. What's so bad about rodents? This isn't medieval times where you're going to catch the plague! They are not slimy or gross and they don't look like they might consume you for dinner. Ok, smelly, sometimes. Squirmy, sometimes. Enough to be concerned about and butt in other people's business, no.

One lady, while I was waiting to transfer buses looked in the carrier and immediately started backing up frantically across the sidewalk...asking if it was a rat. I wanted to tell her, yeah, I go around gathering rats out of the subway as a hobby and carrying them around, lady! (Sorry to the rat owners on here, I like rats, but most people here only see them as disgusting public nuisances). I had to remember to shut my mouth because it had dropped open in disbelief.

Now we're on the next bus. My daughter talks loudly with lots of exaggeration and she is carrying on about how upset she is that he is so sick and has sneezed and been wiping his nose, etc. And since now my daughter announced on the bus that my pig was sick, you'd think he had the swine flu or something. The person next to me got up and moved one seat away...which I didn't mind anyhow because she had some major b.o. going on and was chomping the gum in her mouth like a cow, whew. But I was still thinking that what she could catch in a subway elevator (especially the one at Union Sq) is probably far, far worse than what she could catch if a million sick guinea pigs sneezed on her in unison.

Another person asked if it was going to bite. I was thinking, oh come on, seriously? What is this guy afraid of? A little bite? It's not like it has rabies! I know New Yorkers are paranoid of the squirrels in the park biting them because they think they will get rabies (which they won't) but this is a tiny little GUINEA PIG! Sheesh. It isn't going to leap out at him and go for his jugular! Come on, this isn't a Monty Python sketch here. Oh my goodness, I could feel my IQ draining away just sitting with these people.

And I haven't even mentioned the other type of people. There's the people who think awwww it's so cute! And try to put their dirty grimy fingers in there to pet it. No way, Jose! Not my pig. When I tell them not to do that, they give me this bewildered look. Well excuse me. Maybe I should lick my finger, rub it on the bottom of my shoe and stick it in their ear. Then let's see how they like being poked at with a dirty finger.

So we go see the vet and get the medicine and I am feeling so relieved and proud of myself for being an attentive guinea pig slave. But it was very, very shortlived. We had to get back home.

On the way back, the bus was barely standing room only and I ended up standing instead of sitting. I'm hot, tired, my nerves are shot, I'm sweating like a pig and now I am holding the bar with one hand and holding the carrier with the other while having someone squash me from behind. Oh man, there has got to be more dignified transportation out there than this! This man sitting in the seat in front of where I am standing decides to start talking baby talk and making air kisses to my pig. I am so throughly peeved at this point that I really wanted to go sit in the back corner of the bus, despite the fact that it is awful hot back there from the engine. But the bus was so crowded that I couldn't go anywhere, literally, and those seats were already taken. I'm thinking, why me? Do I have a weirdo magnet or something?? Am I a glutton for punishment?? Let me just say this. This guy was unbelievable. A total wingnut. He had on blue butt hugger shorts circa 1980s Richard Simmons, a white t-shirt with a shiny, black tank top over it, women's bug-eyed fake Versace sunglasses...and wait for it...this is the best part...he had a white tube sock tied around his head like a samarai warrior as a sweatband. Bonzai!

Luckily, our transfer came up and the next bus wasn't as crowded. But there were some kids on the next bus just running wild and they came over and asked 101 questions. You have to be gentle with children so I politely told them that he was sick and didn't feel good so they needed to leave him alone or he wouldn't get better. Next thing I know, this guy with a mullet, yes a mullet in Brooklyn (!!!), started talking loudly across the bus about how him and his brother used to feed rats and baby guinea pigs to their snakes. I kept thinking how much I'd like to feed him to an anaconda.

Well that was my evening yesterday and I have been so irritated that I had to get it off my chest. My hubby is a native here, so he just rolls his eyes at me when I tell him things like this and he tells me to deal with it, this isn't California where you can drive around in your air conditioned car.

I had to vent somewhere! I guess I may as well make it into a thread. So...anyone else have stories like this?

[vicky2]

Sadly, your hubby's right. I go to NYC all the time and I just start yelling back.
I know of an exotic vet in Brooklyn if you want. It's a shorter commute.

[Peggysu]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll stay here in California.

[blackarrow]

I can appreciate that wasn't funny while you were experiencing it, but your retelling of it sure was!

[fieryone]

I have to agree with blackarrow on the humor factor. I know I would be just as peeved as you, but I have an aunt who lives in The City and I've been there many, many times and can picture it perfectly. Down to Bonzai Simmons

I brought Doc to the vet yesterday, too, though my trip wasn't nearly as eventful! I also thought he may be coming down with something, turned out to be a blocked tear duct. But a woman at the vet with her dog asked if it was a cat in the carrier. When my husband said it was a guinea pig, she looked at him like he had three heads. I don't get the big deal either.

[MissFormosa]

Originally Posted by vicky2

Sadly, your hubby's right. I go to NYC all the time and I just start yelling back.
I know of an exotic vet in Brooklyn if you want. It's a shorter commute.

Yeah...let me know! I'm in Bay Ridge...if the vet is close to that. Sometimes Brooklyn is tricky for us, because we have to go into Manhattan to get back to some parts of Brooklyn by train and buses take forever!

[MissFormosa]

Originally Posted by Peggysu

Thanks for the heads up. I'll stay here in California.

I'm jealous!!!

[MapleSyrup]

Dang... NYC people aren't very nice to your piggy... I am lucky that I don't live in a smoggy,crowded, city... we live in the east coast too, with a good vet nearby. Why can't they mind their own buiniess? How would they like it if other people try to snoop around their stuff, trying to find out what "it" is? Gosh... we humans have to respect each other more...

[Africa]

Wow, I feel your pain, I went on vacation to NYC - I didnt realize what a shocker of a city it would people, I felt the people there were like aliens, especially since Im from South Africa!! It was a great experience but Never Never would I choose to live there, Kansas suits me just fine! Thanks for the story, it was very entertaining even though I know it was frustrating for you :-D

[Wodentoad]

I am so so sorry about your rough experience. My vet's about 30 mins away on country roads (nearest exotics vet, but worth every mile). I have tears in my eyes, I'm sorry to say, not from crying, but from laughing. Your story was so well told, my laughter sent my shy Bear scurrying into his piglou.

Let me preface the next part by saying I'm a southern girl. Down here--or perhaps, more correctly 'Round here--someone asking what IT is, is usually just curious and trying to make polite conversation and small talk. Too many Cavy owners just don't know much about their pigs at all, let alone pets in general, so it's not as common to see a piggie, sick or not, out in the big wide world, let alone commuting. But I can understand the "I'm sorry, I'm just not in the mood," thing. We get that way that here in the south too.

I know it was a big headache. I really feel bad for you and your furry one. I've had a heck of a day culminating in a mis-measurement of new felt for the upper floor of my C&C cage. *sigh*

May the best of your past be the worst of your future!

I hope your dear is feeling better, and feel free to grouse any time, I'll read it!

[MissFormosa]

Originally Posted by Africa

Wow, I feel your pain, I went on vacation to NYC - I didnt realize what a shocker of a city it would people, I felt the people there were like aliens, especially since Im from South Africa!! It was a great experience but Never Never would I choose to live there, Kansas suits me just fine! Thanks for the story, it was very entertaining even though I know it was frustrating for you :-D

I feel like I am stuck with a bunch of aliens too! I guess this city just makes people mean because it is overcrowded, smelly, and expensive. But funny enough, I came here from Los Angeles, which is also a big smoggy crowded expensive city and I had never met people so mean! Ever in my life! I am trying really really hard to understand it.

I remember once I wasn't walking at the required break neck speed to the subway shuttle to Grand Central and some guy in a suit yelled, "Move!" and pushed me into a steel beam. I went to work crying, my mascara all running down my face and shaking. Now I just walk like my butt caught fire and I need to put it out. And when I was pregnant, instead of giving me a seat on the subway, people would just close their eyes like they were sleeping. I guess out of sight, out of mind. And when you go to the grocery store the checker just grabs your stuff and rings it up, like a zombie. I've tried saying "Good morning" but they don't even acknowledge my existence. In California, people actually knew how to smile and converse politely! About the only thing that is mean in California is when you look like a mess and some very fashionable trendy girls laugh at you or road rage. I'm still not used to it. Ugh!

[MissFormosa]

Originally Posted by Wodentoad

I hope your dear is feeling better, and feel free to grouse any time, I'll read it!

Maybe I'll have to start writing in my blog here

[SnowFlower]

When Oreo and Twinkie got into it a while back I called the emergency vet (I had been told they handle exotics and cavys - apparently not!) the receptionist got this haughty tone in her voice and stated quite rudely "Why on earth are you calling about a Guinea Pig? We care for real pets, not rodents. You could bring him in for $175 up front for just the look-see, but I can't fathom why you would do that."

People either love-em or hate-em I guess. I'm sorry you had such a rough commute to the vet, MissFormosa, I would have gone absolutely crazy!

[CavyMama]

Originally Posted by SnowFlower

When Oreo and Twinkie got into it a while back I called the emergency vet (I had been told they handle exotics and cavys - apparently not!) the receptionist got this haughty tone in her voice and stated quite rudely "Why on earth are you calling about a Guinea Pig? We care for real pets, not rodents. You could bring him in for $175 up front for just the look-see, but I can't fathom why you would do that."

People either love-em or hate-em I guess. I'm sorry you had such a rough commute to the vet, MissFormosa, I would have gone absolutely crazy!

Oh wow. That receptionist was just plain RUDE! I would seriously call back and ask to speak to one of the vets. Or go in person. Someone there needs to know how rude she was to you. I've gotten some snippy attitudes at the vet before but never that blatently nasty!

[erikahand83]

I agree with you CavyMama on that receptionist being overly rude. The receptionist at my vet gets that way with me sometimes and all I have to do is tell my vet who is also her boss and she doesn't do it again for a long time. And yeah I feel like I'm bringing aliens into the vets office because of the looks I get from some people. Oh well, at least my vet likes them and takes good care of them and living in a rural area I just hop in my car in be at the vets office in less then five minutes which is definitely a big plus for living in small towns.

[Grandmar Cavy]

My goodness I thought when I lived in Sydney was bad, but not like that so glad I live in the country.

[Ibbet]

Wow, I'm sorry.

I live in Indiana, so I have no idea what its like there. Infact the only only city I've been to is in Kentucky and other than the school bus, I've never actually been on a bus. I live out in the country and it's 30 minutes to the nearest Walmart, 45 minutes to the nearest Petco, about an hour to get to the vet, ect.

So like I said I have no idea what its like but I don't think I'll be going to New York anytime soon, haha.

[Amsley246]

Haha, reminds me of my vet. They don't get Guinea Pigs there too often (small island) so whenever we go in they all have to come see the pigs and hold them and such, which is fine unless your in a rush to go! Some people and their children !