It was a Saturday a few weeks ago, and I was walking with by brother through Lazimpat when he pointed towards a pet shop. A huge aquarium was placed outside it with lots of cute, little green palm-size tortoises.

We talked about the tortoises all the way home, and I could not get over them, so much so that I had this deep yearning to have at least one as a pet.

Later Mama and I went shopping with my aunt and cousins. On the way, I begged and pleaded with Mama to buy me one tortoise.

This time it looked like she could be persuaded into it. Earlier whenever we used to ask her to let us keep pets, she’d reply that it was hard enough raising the two of us. However, she seemed different that day. But we returned home without a tortoise.

I told my Aunt, who always agrees with me, about my desire to own a pet tortoise.

This day, however, she said it a ridiculous idea. We did not even have a garden to provide the tortoise a proper home. I flew into a rage. But she was adamant that there was no space.

Then I said I’d keep it in a box in my room.

She said it would be bitten, or even worse eaten my mice and cats roaming our house.

I tried pretending that I’d hear her, but later I realised that she was right. I had been carried away by my whim to own a pet. I had never given a serious thought as to what I’d do when it grew. It would defecate anywhere and everywhere, get lost roaming around, get bitten...

I realised that I wouldn’t be giving my cute little green tortoise a new and happy life, but a terrible time with all types of creatures on the loose. And also I wouldn’t be able to care for it properly what with all my studies. So on second thoughts, I dropped the idea of keeping a pet till I have more time to dedicate to it. — Rujika Tuladhar, Class-IX, Swarnim School