The Legend Of Bandini

Some legends never die. Nor should they. Thank God.

The sun blazed high in the summer sky when that bastard Bandini came to call.

A gift, they said.

A curse more like it. Little Bandini curled up in a ball.

All the children loved him. I saw that straight away, although he was indifferent to most.

One little girl, Ava, he liked. But the rest were merely ghosts. 

Oh, that fickle Bandini!

Class resumed, and lessons were taught while Bandini stayed busy in his cage. Scuffling and shuffling, scratching and churning, cedar dust scented the day.

That night, after school, after the children had left, after Ava had said her goodbyes, we closed off the classroom and retired for the night: my schoolteacher wife and I.

The next morning, while opening, much to my surprise, that Bandini stared me dead in the eye.

“Well, good morning, Bandidi,” I said with a grin, “I see you’ve escaped your cage.”

Bandini went on nibling, amused by my stern gaze.

He didn’t seem bothered at all that I’d discovered him. Didn’t run, scamper, or hide.

Oh, that brazen Bandini!

“So, how did you escape?” I asked, if to no one but myself.

Indifferent, Bandini maintained his silence.

I scooped him up and cradled him near. He was a warm and furry young chap.

“If I had the time and less important things to do, I might sit awhile with you on my lap. But as it is, young Bandini, we’re both out of place, with jobs and duties to keep. So here now,” I said, placing him back in his cage. “Why don’t you go get some sleep?”

After returning him there and securing the cage, I went on with Bandini in mind.

“How on earth did he ever get out?” I wondered throughout the day. “Perhaps I should go and spy.”

I visited the class, and there he was, scampering about avoiding trampling feet. 

I observed young Bandini, quite at home, nibbling on snacks and receiving treats. 

Oh, the life of Bandini!

And again, that night, after the children had gone, I secured Bandini for sure.

And yet again, the next morning, and much to my chagrin, Bandini had escaped once more!

Oh, the magic of Bandini!

“A new cage!” I thought. “That’s what he needs—more room to play and to breathe! Our boy Bandini here just needs his freedom! That we can all plainly see.”

Photo by Silje Roseneng on Unsplash

A colorful maze of tubes and rooms and a wheel that spins round and round.

“Bandini, my man, you’ve got to be pleased. Your home is the finest around!”

The new accommodations were quite a hit, and the children were all quite amazed.

“Look!” they said, while huddled around, “I wish I could go inside and play.”

But as grand a palace, as any hampster had seen, Bandini was not one to dwell.

For early the next morning, while opening up, “Bandini, my man, what the hell?”

“Not once, not twice, but three times now you’ve managed to make your escape. What on earth, Bandini, my lad, will ever keep you in place?”

Oh, that sly little Bandini.

It’s food he wants and a steady supply. Of this, I am nearly sure.

It’s to the market I go, with a pocket of cash, and a classroom of children in tow.

We shopped the aisles and selected the best: long carrots, round cabbage, red beets. We walked back to school singing our tune while cars whizzed by on busy streets.

🎼Bandini, Bandini so small and bright,
Escaping his cage by day and by night.
A new home he got, with plenty to see,🎶
But still, he roams, as free as can be.

Carrots and cabbage, red beets to munch,
We bought them all for Bandini's lunch.🎶
Bandini, Bandini, clever and quick,
Your magic escaping, oh what a trick! 🎶"

When we arrived, bursting with pride, Bandini was awaiting his snacks.

“Bandini, old friend, I see you’re still here. Content in your home now, I’ve nothing to fear. But here are your snacks, red beets, and more. The children hand-picked these just to be sure.”

Oh, that lucky Bandini.

Carrots, cabbage, and red beets galore, a colorful spread he could not ignore. Bandini watched with curious eyes, his gaze fixed on his edible prize.

It seemed the secret was finally clear: a way to keep our Bandini happy and near. With snacks aplenty and room to play, it looked like Bandini would be here to stay.

But of course—no.

For the next morning, again, to my surprise, Bandini was nowhere I could see with my eyes. I searched and called and crawled on the floor, but alas, our Bandini was with us no more.

Oh, you bastard Bandini!

“What will I tell the children?” I fretted and paced, my heart heavy, my spirits displaced.

The classroom, once filled with Bandini's cheer, now echoed with silence, with him not here.

The days turned to weeks, and a mystery revealed, something so sweet, I’ll tell you my dear.

Though Bandini had vanished, leaving us in dismay, he left behind tokens in Bandini’s own way.

Buttons, strings, and yarn torn from sweaters, little gifts appeared to make our hearts light as feathers.

Each morning we'd find these presents so small, reminders of Bandini, loved by us all.

It seemed even in absence, Bandini's spirit stayed, touching our lives in so many ways.

These tokens of love, his way of letting us know, he was still with us, watching us grow.

The children would gather, sharing Bandini's deeds, his gifts sparked imagination and planted his seeds.

In every button, every string, each piece of colored yarn, Bandini's adventures continued, his narrative went on.

So, Bandini, our elusive, adventurous friend, though your presence we miss, your story doesn’t end.

You've left us with memories, and gifts to adore, we wait with held breath to see you once more.

Oh, where is our dear Bandini?

Oh, you clever Bandini, with your mystery so grand, you've taught us love will rarely go as planned.

But in these tokens that you leave behind, a lasting reminder of our binding twine.

Your adventures wild, your spirit so keen,
In your palace of tubes, a sight to be seen.

Bandini, Bandini, so clever and sly,
With snacks aplenty, you still said goodbye.
In the wide world of wonder, you choose to stay,
Bandini, our friend, you've found your way.

No more escapes, no need to roam,
Bandini's content, in his grand open home.
With carrots and beets, and cabbage to chew,
Our Bandini's happy, and we are too.

---

In 2009,

My wife Keylea opened a small preschool in our home.

As every good educator knows, creating a nurturing and educational environment involves more than lessons, books, and manipulatives.

Many classrooms include birds, rabbits, fish, or furry hamsters like our man Bandini.

These furry or feathered friends do more than keep the children entertained; they serve as invaluable tools for teaching responsibility, empathy, and the science of living things.

Interacting with pets helps children develop social skills and understand the importance of caring for others, lessons that are as vital as any academic content.

Alas, our man Bandini would not be held in a cage.

No matter what we tried, he always escaped.

The Legend Continues

It’s been 15 years, and still, the legend of young Bandini carries on.

On Friday, January 12, 2024, a major winter storm hit our Michigan home.

While suiting up to shovel the drive, I slipped my foot into my tall winter boots and felt something deep inside.

A small collection of fava beans deep within my boot—a gift from my man Bandini.

I know they’re from him because the fava beans were part of Keylea’s classroom. She kept them in a large ceramic bowl—a manipulative for the children to develop their fine motor and math skills.

Plunging their hands deep into the bowl, the children would try to grip as many of the slippery, oddly shaped fava beans as they could and then count them, one by one, by dropping them into a mason jar.

We haven’t had fava beans in our home since Keylea closed her school in 2013.

Then, just a month ago, in February 2024, while unpacking things here in our Florida home, I found more fava beans tucked away in my suitcase.

Another gift from my old pal, Bandini.

Oh, that clever, beloved Bandini. 🥰

---

I love you guys! 💖

Stay safe out there. 🤗

—Paul