Deloris Kay Ward
A true story of a young girl, growing up on a small farm in New Mexico. A wonderful loving family was her security and the doting grandparents that lived within walking distance seemed like the best of everything.
A surprise gift from her father on her 10th birthday seemed to be the ultimate joy of her young life. She loved animals and became a very devoted "Mom" to a baby porcupine. He was the center of her life for 2 years, and became a part of the whole family.
This porcupine was a most remarkable pet, which left everyone that became acquainted with him shaking and scratching their heads. There are still those that remember him with awe.
I was born on April 18, 1940 on a small farm three miles southwest of Mayhill, NM, Otero County. My parents were very loving and supportive and good Christian people. They taught me to love God, my country, my neighbors, and even my enemies. I was very shy as a youngster and took to animals. I would converse with them just as if they were my best friend and I knew they talked back. I still love animals but I m not as shy as I used to be. My husband and I reside in the country of the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Between us there are 8 children and 12 grandchildren.
It was just at dusk when my aunt left me at our house. As I came through the door, my mother said, "Deloris, did you have a good time? Honey, your dad is still at Grandma s. Please go down and tell him supper is almost ready. Jim and Lou have already done your chores for you. Would you do that?"
"All right, Mother," I replied as I started for the door. I stopped and faced her. "This has been the best day of my life."
She smiled and waved me on to fetch my dad.
As I walked down the little drive to my grandparent s house, which was just a short distance, I sang to myself and started skipping, daydreaming of the beautiful girls in their gorgeous costumes doing fancy tricks. I held my skirt up on each side and pretended that I was one of them.
As I came up to the gate at the front yard, I opened it, and as always felt the flowing stir in my heart and the warmth that always crept through my body when I came to my grandparent s house.
There was a slight flicker of firelight flashing on the front window and the familiar puffs of gray and white smoke billowing out of the rock chimney upward toward the blue sky.
I ran down the path and up the three steps onto the vine-covered porch. Just as I put out my hand to open the screen door, my dad opened the big, wooden, inside door.
"Come in," he said. "I have something to show you."
When he started walking toward the fireplace, I caught sight of a small rag rolled up in a ball, laying on the hearth. As I walked over to it, Dad pulled a corner of the rag back. All I could see was a tiny ball of black fur about the size of a grown mouse.
I squealed in delight, pulling at my dad s sleeve. "What is it Daddy, what is it? Is it mine?"
After he calmed me down a little, he picked it up and handed it to me and told me to hold him very carefully. "He was just born this morning and his mother is dead. You ll have to be his mother now. Happy birthday, honey. He s your very own baby pet." Dad stood by me for a moment as he watched me gently caressing and loving this tiny little ball of fur. "He s a baby porcupine."
