cameraman left, Mary unlocked the pigpen gate. She went in the pen, followed by Alex and Rocky.
Piccolo seemed glad to have company. She leaned against Alex’s leg while the kids scratched behind her ears.
“I did some more Internet research about pigs this morning,” Rocky said. “There’s one really cool Web site that compares pigs to people. It said pigs are more like humans than any other animal is. Pig hearts, arteries, livers, and immune systems are like ours. So are their teeth!”
Alex squatted beside Piccolo, trying to see her teeth. Piccolo kept her mouth closed but pushed her snout toward Alex’s face.
“Pigs get cancer and arthritis,” Rocky continued, “and they respond to drugs much the same way people do.”
“Gramma told me that when my great-uncle Fred had open heart surgery he got a pig’s heart valve put in hisheart,” Mary said. “She said the mitral heart valves of pigs are grafted into human patients all the time. They last longer than man-made valves.”
“I read about that,” Rocky said. “Pig livers are used in humans, too, and pig cells have been used to treat diabetes.”
Alex wondered how many pigs had given their lives so that sick people could have a new mitral heart valve or a liver transplant or some other life-saving treatment. Ordinarily, Alex was against using animals for research. His parents supported a group called Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine that encouraged medical schools to use computer images instead of dogs and other animals in their laboratories. They also lobbied against cruel and unnecessary testing on animals for cosmetic products.
He thought about the ethics of using pig parts to save people. He wouldn’t want Piccolo to be killed, but he wasn’t sure how he would feel if someone in his family needed that kind of medical treatment. You can’t get a liver from a computer.
Alex moved his fingers back and forth as he ran his hands down Piccolo’s back, scratching her with his fingertips. Pete loved it when Alex did that to him, and the pig seemed to like it, too. Mary was right; this was a friendly, good-natured pig, and Alex was glad she had jumped off the truck and escaped.
“Gramma told me about a blind woman who has a trained pig instead of a Seeing Eye dog,” Mary said. “Shecalls it her ‘Seeing Eye hog’ and says it’s as efficient as a dog, and more visible.”
“It would get noticed, that’s for sure,” Rocky said.
When Alex quit scratching the pig’s back, Piccolo made low, grunting sounds and put her head under Alex’s hand. He laughed, and massaged her some more.
Benjie came down the driveway and approached the pen. “I don’t think they’re going to show up,” he said.
“Who?” Alex asked.
“The television people. I’ve been in my spy station watching for their truck.”
“They came,” Alex said. “They tried to interview Hogman, but he wouldn’t talk to them. They left about ten minutes ago.”
“They were here?” Benjie cried. “Why didn’t you come get me?”
“I thought you knew. You said you were going to watch for them.”
“I was! Were they driving a big truck with the station’s letters on the side?”
“No. They were in a minivan. I don’t think there was any sign on the door.” Alex looked at Rocky. “Did you see a sign?”
“No,” Rocky said.
“I was looking for a big truck,” Benjie said. “What happened? Did they interview all of you?”
“Hogman got angry that they were here. He covered uphis face and threatened to sue the station if they put pictures of him on the news.”
“Wow!” Benjie said. “I’ll bet he’s hiding from someone! Maybe he moved without paying his rent and that’s why he doesn’t want his picture taken. Maybe he murdered someone in another state!”
Alex smiled at his brother’s inventive mind. No matter what happened, Benjie always had a theory about it. “Could be,” Alex said.
“I should have stayed here,” Benjie said.
Piccolo seemed glad to have company. She leaned against Alex’s leg while the kids scratched behind her ears.
“I did some more Internet research about pigs this morning,” Rocky said. “There’s one really cool Web site that compares pigs to people. It said pigs are more like humans than any other animal is. Pig hearts, arteries, livers, and immune systems are like ours. So are their teeth!”
Alex squatted beside Piccolo, trying to see her teeth. Piccolo kept her mouth closed but pushed her snout toward Alex’s face.
“Pigs get cancer and arthritis,” Rocky continued, “and they respond to drugs much the same way people do.”
“Gramma told me that when my great-uncle Fred had open heart surgery he got a pig’s heart valve put in hisheart,” Mary said. “She said the mitral heart valves of pigs are grafted into human patients all the time. They last longer than man-made valves.”
“I read about that,” Rocky said. “Pig livers are used in humans, too, and pig cells have been used to treat diabetes.”
Alex wondered how many pigs had given their lives so that sick people could have a new mitral heart valve or a liver transplant or some other life-saving treatment. Ordinarily, Alex was against using animals for research. His parents supported a group called Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine that encouraged medical schools to use computer images instead of dogs and other animals in their laboratories. They also lobbied against cruel and unnecessary testing on animals for cosmetic products.
He thought about the ethics of using pig parts to save people. He wouldn’t want Piccolo to be killed, but he wasn’t sure how he would feel if someone in his family needed that kind of medical treatment. You can’t get a liver from a computer.
Alex moved his fingers back and forth as he ran his hands down Piccolo’s back, scratching her with his fingertips. Pete loved it when Alex did that to him, and the pig seemed to like it, too. Mary was right; this was a friendly, good-natured pig, and Alex was glad she had jumped off the truck and escaped.
“Gramma told me about a blind woman who has a trained pig instead of a Seeing Eye dog,” Mary said. “Shecalls it her ‘Seeing Eye hog’ and says it’s as efficient as a dog, and more visible.”
“It would get noticed, that’s for sure,” Rocky said.
When Alex quit scratching the pig’s back, Piccolo made low, grunting sounds and put her head under Alex’s hand. He laughed, and massaged her some more.
Benjie came down the driveway and approached the pen. “I don’t think they’re going to show up,” he said.
“Who?” Alex asked.
“The television people. I’ve been in my spy station watching for their truck.”
“They came,” Alex said. “They tried to interview Hogman, but he wouldn’t talk to them. They left about ten minutes ago.”
“They were here?” Benjie cried. “Why didn’t you come get me?”
“I thought you knew. You said you were going to watch for them.”
“I was! Were they driving a big truck with the station’s letters on the side?”
“No. They were in a minivan. I don’t think there was any sign on the door.” Alex looked at Rocky. “Did you see a sign?”
“No,” Rocky said.
“I was looking for a big truck,” Benjie said. “What happened? Did they interview all of you?”
“Hogman got angry that they were here. He covered uphis face and threatened to sue the station if they put pictures of him on the news.”
“Wow!” Benjie said. “I’ll bet he’s hiding from someone! Maybe he moved without paying his rent and that’s why he doesn’t want his picture taken. Maybe he murdered someone in another state!”
Alex smiled at his brother’s inventive mind. No matter what happened, Benjie always had a theory about it. “Could be,” Alex said.
“I should have stayed here,” Benjie said.
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