Pushkin’s in Love, Part One

Pushkin’s in Love, Part One

I GET A PING

on my phone and for a moment I think that it is Eunice.M_1952 replying to the message I sent her on Platinum Singles before I put my account on hiatus

, but it is not.

It is even better than that.

Hi, my name’s Jenny and I’m looking for a home for my skinny pig, Flora. I’ve got to move to Canada for work. She’s very comfortable being handled, she’s flea treated and her nails are done. Happy to drop her off anywhere in Birmingham. All the best, Jenny x

There’s a picture attached. And if Pushkin is the floofiest guinea pig you can imagine, basically a hairpiece with teeth, Flora is the opposite. She looks like one of those sphynx cats: there’s not a hair on her body.

I reply as fast as my thumbs will let me. Though I want to ask Jenny if she’s quite sure it’s a guinea pig she owns and not a short snake in disguise, instead I ask her if she would

be willing to bring Flora to meet my boy. I include a photograph of Pushkin, his ginger hair freshly brushed, looking his very best. Hopefully, opposites attract!

I write.

How’s Saturday?

Jenny replies almost immediately.

I will be meeting Marjie’s new boyfriend over brunch in the morning, but the rest of the day is free.

Let’s get these guinea pigs together!

I reply.