b"58regKoutroubyMyStepMomDianneTheHamsterEscapadeGDuringmyhighschoolyears,IdoftenvisitmyDad,Dianne,andlittleAlexinHuntingtonontheweekends.OnoneparticularvisitIwasupstairsinmybedroom,lyingonmysideinbedandwatchingTV,whenIheardAlexwalkintotheroom.Heclimbedontothebedandhoveredrightbehindme.Iwasprettytired,soIjustkeptlyingthere.However,afterafewseconds,thathoveringpresencebegantobotherme.ItfeltlikeAlexwasdanglingsomethingdirectlyovermyhead,soIreacheduptopushwhateveritwasaway.Myhandmadecontactwithacupofsomekind,andthenIfeltsomethingwetonmyhead.Isatupinfrustrationandsaid,Whydidyouspillwateronme?!LittleAlexwasgigglingalittletoohard.Onesecondlater,Idiscoveredwhy.Itsnotwater.hesaid.Itsmyhamsterspee!Well,thatwasit.Iwasupandinthebathroompromptly,rinsingmyhairinthesink.Granted,itwasntalotofpee.(Howbigcanahamstersbladderbe,right?)SoIbegantogetoverthesituationandstartedtodrymyhairwithanearbytowel.ThatswhenIheardDiannelaughingfromdownstairs.Alexhadspilledthebeans.AndIstartedtoboilinsideagain.Idbeenembarrassed,andIwassurethestorywouldtravelaroundthefamilyprettyquicklymaybeevenfurtherthanthat.Buttimewenton,ofcourse,andtheeventsoondisappeared,alongwiththedisgruntledfeelings.SowhenDadaskedusalltocontributeamemoryforthisbook,Iwonderedwhythatspecificexperiencewasthefirsttocometomind.IthinkitsbecauseofthatlaughIheardfromdownstairs.Diannehadacleversenseofhumor.Sheappreciatedagoodplayonwords,orawell-timed,wittyresponsewithinaconversation.Butthiswasdifferent.Hamsterpeeontheheadwaslow-brow.Slapstick.Stooge-like.AndI'dneverheardherlaughsohardatanything.Itwasacompletelypure,uninhibitedbellylaugh.Lookingback,itwasbrilliant.Dayskeepgoingby.Peoplegetverybusywithwork,orpreoccupiedwithnonsense.Thosemomentsofpurelaughtercanbefewandfarbetween.Youcantexactlyseekthemout.You"