My best friend never rats on me or gets me into any trouble.  My best friend never complains about his lot in life or tells me what to do.  My best friend is ... well, the best friend a kid like me could ever have.

My best friend's name is Goldenrod.  He is small enough to sit in the palm of my hand, and he's cute if I must say so myself.  He is gold and white, with big, beady black eyes and an ever sensitive, ever-quivering little nose that never stops wiggling.  He is curious about anything and anybody.

In case you haven't already figured it out by now, Goldenrod is not a person.  Goldenrod happens to be a hamster.  He was given to me last year by my grandma for my tenth birthday.  (I'm now age 11.)

It helps having a furry little friend like Goldenrod, especially on wild, wintery, snow-driven days like today.  We are currently snowbound in our house; there's a blizzard raging outside, and it doesn't show any sign of easing anytime soon.  So far, over 2 feet of snow has buried Boston, Massachusetts (where I live with my parents; I'm an only child), and already there have been numerous accidents due to people not staying off the roads, even after law officials have repeatedly told them not to go out unless it is for an extreme emergency.  (I am sure there have been plenty of arrests, too.)

Well, I hate to run, but Goldenrod's suddenly escaped; I pray and hope he doesn't get out of the house, or else he may very well be toast.  Pray that I can find him soon and that nothing (or nobody) gets him.  I would really hate to lose my pet; he's the very best thing that could have ever happened to me!  Thanks in advance!

~To be continued!~