Linda's pet Rocky

Linda had always been keeping a cockroach as her pet. Many people have their own pets similar to each other but different from her. Her pet is treated as a pest because of its characteristics. It may unusual to everyone but she loves her pet cockroach. She treated her pet as her only friend who listened to all her problems in the world. She put her pet in a box and constantly feed it. She named it as Rocky. Just like Linda, her pet is living in the shadows. For several years, Linda has been living in that state. She kept her pet for years now and brought it wherever she goes even though people who passed to her will looked with disgust in their faces.

One day, Linda’s mother, Diana, visited her house. She watched her mother opened her windows widely and exposed her to sunlight. Up until now, Linda didn’t know if she ever opened her window for once. She hated light and for all she didn’t know when she started to hate it. She carefully watched her mother’s every move inside her room so that she will not march to the other room where she put her pet Rocky.

After opening all the windows, her mother turned to her.

“Linda why you didn’t opened all your windows? Look at yourself. You’re very thin and pale. If ever you will out for a walk, people will find you creepy.” she said.

Linda walked to her full body mirror. She looked at herself intently. Her mother was right but she didn’t care at all. After a minute, she turned to her mother without a word and sat down to her bed head down.

“It’s been years Linda! Why you have to live here in this dark room? Why are you always been keeping a cockroach as a pet. Why Linda?” her mother asked worriedly.

Still, Linda didn’t say a word. She keeps quite. 

“Cockroach is not a good pet Linda. If you want I will buy you a dog, cat or hamster. Just choose Linda.”

Linda faced her mother. “I don’t want any of it Mom. I only want is my pet.” she said.

Her mother sighed in defeat. “Fine but please think it several times.” Her mother walked through the door and leaves her with a glance. 

After her mother left, Linda immediately walked to the room and held the box where Rocky lived. She held the box and opened it. Rocky was not eating its food. She catches Rocky and put it inside the glass. She immediately walks back to her room and gets her wallet and keys without even changing her clothes.

She walked to the park and sat on the bench. She looked at Rocky inside the glass that is constantly running back and forth. She smiled to herself while looking to her lovely pet. She started humming and then sings a song dedicated to Rocky.

People stop walking and look up to her. People were amazed how beautifully she sings not until they saw the box Linda was holding. The people’s foreheads were creased upon seeing the cockroach and left Linda with disgusted looks. 

When Linda finished her song she stood up and started to walk back to her house with head down allowing her hair to scatter on her face. Then, suddenly, she bumped into someone and because of the impact she fell into the road. 

“Rocky are you alright?” she asked while looking to the box.

The person she got bumped was confused.

“Miss you’re not going to ask if I’m alright?” the stranger asked Linda.

Linda still looking at her pet, “Thank God you’re okay.” she said happily.

“A cockroach is your pet?” the stranger asked again.

This time Linda faced the stranger and answered, “Yes, he is my lovely pet.”

The stranger started laughing and Linda got puzzled. After a minute the stranger was still laughing so Linda decided to walk pass through him when suddenly the stranger grabbed her hand and pushed her to the ground. 

“You’re crazy Miss. You’re a woman yet your pet is a cockroach?” the stranger asked unbelievingly.

Linda stared at the stranger angrily. She thought, why is there any problem having a cockroach as a pet? All of us were entitled to have a right to choose of the things that makes us happy. And having a cockroach as her pet makes her happy. She didn’t want cats, dogs or other popular animals that all people make a pet.

“Why are you like that?” Linda asked.

“Like that? Miss it’s not normal to have a cockroach as a pet, you may think that it makes you happy but that thing can’t bring you any good.” the stranger explained and swiftly snatch the box from Linda and throw it away.

“Find a pet that will bring you the real happiness or a real friend to be called.” he said before leaving Linda dumbfounded.

After hearing those painful words, she hurriedly runs to the area where Rocky was thrown and quickly finds him. This scene was not new to her. In the middle of finding Rocky, Linda reminisced the times when she was bullied in school and even her childhood friends whenever she tried to introduce Rocky to them as her pet. She was not recognized along with her pet since she couldn’t remember. 

“Rocky where are you? Please don’t hide.” she cried loudly while finding rocky in the garbage. 

The glass was broken that’s why she couldn’t find Rocky. Agony was visible to Linda’s face. Rocky was not her only pet but as well as her only friend. In the end, Linda didn’t find Rocky, she stood up and hurriedly went back to her house. 

While running she thought of what the stranger said. Since she has a pet cockroach she was all alone. She didn’t have any friends to be called. Her family was always asking why she has a cockroach as a pet. Cockroach was treated as enemy by humans because of their behavior. She stops and holds her head she didn’t want to think the words the stranger left. 

“Find a pet that will bring you the real happiness or a real friend to be called.” Again the words were struck in her head. She shook her head dismissing the possible thoughts of her and run again. 

When she got home she immediately went to the room where she usually put Rocky. She opened the door and only to find the numerous cockroaches lurking every corner of the room. She will choose another cockroach to be a pet and named it Rocky just like the old times. She walked slowly inside the room and stood at the corner. When she spotted a cockroach she was about to clutch it but her hand was stuck in the air. The poor insect ran immediately away from Linda. 

She put her hand down. She couldn’t do it just like the past. She doubted herself now. She starred at the numerous cockroaches going back and forth. She thought of the cockroaches she captured in the past and make them as a pet. She shook her head, all the time she talked about freedom but she didn’t budge the thought of the liberty of the insects. All she thinks was her happiness and excluded the idea of the insect’s freedom and happiness.

Now she realized of what the strangers said. While keeping the cockroach, she thought that she’s happy but in reality she’s not. All the years she spent her life keeping the cockroaches as her pet she hadn’t feel any joy. It was all her delusions that she was happy. The only way she keep cockroach as a pet because it was her way of remembering herself that she was not given the right to be happy and forever will stay in the darkness. She felt remorse of what she’s done to the cockroaches. They’re still living things and they have all the rights in this world.

She heaved a deep sigh and stated her final words. “I’m sorry my dear cockroaches. From now on, I will not catch any one of you. I will give you the liberty that I took away from all of you.”

She sighed again and slowly turned her back and left the room. She smiled genuinely after locking the door. As she walked back to her room, in her mind she said her thanks to the stranger that she met. 

END