Should I tell you about the first time we thought we had wings? We stayed up all night and Devin talked for six straight hours. He told me his entire life story, with pictures.

How about his blind-folded birthday?

Maybe you'd like to hear the story about the waitress I had a little crush on but was much too shy to talk to? Devin slipped her my number and then giggled while I attempted to crawl under the table.

Let me tell you about Fergus...

Fergus, otherwise known as "piggy" aka "pork pie" was my guinea pig.  I lived in an apartment downtown - just piggy and me.  One morning I woke up and piggy was dead.  I panicked!  I was already late for work, so I covered him up for the day.  At work I got in touch with Devin and asked "can I bury piggy at your house?"

Keep in mind Devin lives on an island.  I put my little guy into a box, carried him down the street, rode a bus, then sat through a 30-minute boat ride.  Devin was there waiting for me at the dock, I could see his breath (or maybe he was smoking).  Either way, the night was very cold.

I got in the car and put the little box by my feet.  I didn't know if I should make a joke or cry.  I worried that he might start to "cook" down on the floor near the heat.

Exhausted and whimpering but cozy and warm I fell asleep while piggy waited patiently for his early-morning burial.

Devin doesn't have a shovel.  Devin does have a fireplace set with the poker, the little broomthing, and the little "shovel" thing for scooping ashes.  Retarded little shovel in hand, we made our way through the dark and into the wooded area behind the house.  Devin chipped and chipped away at the frozen ground.  It was dark. We were half-asleep and freezing.  I braced myself.  I held my breath and reached into the box.  He was smaller than I remembered, wrapped in a soft cotton towel.

I set him into that icy little hole then patted him affectionately "There you go, little guy" were the only words I could manage.  I felt my warm tears hitting my cold hands as I scraped at the ground.  Devin started to cry.  We hugged, cried, sniffled, snotted - and in the end let out a few little giggles when we looked at each other.

Love you Devin - have a wonderful birthday!