The Rubber Ducky Copywriter made me do it…

It served the gerbil well. This nest of shavings so carefully petted, pulled and pushed around him. It came halfway up his side and he could peer over the top at all his space. It served the gerbil well. Then The Hand descended, placing a colorful half orb on the other side of his habitat. The gerbil nosed around the edge until reaching it, climbed inside and peeked over the top. He was invisible to predators. It served the gerbil well. But it was a little hard and cold. The Hand descended again, just halfway this time, showering the bottom of the cage with sweet smelling hay. The gerbil perked up, slid out of the orb to gather some in his mouth and slipped back in. He kept at it until a thick (for a gerbil) pad of hay covered the bottom of the orb. It served the gerbil well. But then he dozed and shifted a little in his sleep, rolling the orb and startling him fully awake. He scrambled in the orb until it wedged itself in a corner and stayed put, at rest. It served the gerbil well. Except now the orb opening was in the front and he was exposed to all sorts of predators. His head popped up, seeking safety, when The Hand reappeared with a full bowl of food. He scurried over to his safe, full bowl and dug in. It served the gerbil well. But then it was empty, and he realized, again, that he was exposed. He stayed frozen, as a still gerbil body is known to be invisible to gerbil-eaters and gerbil-grabbers. It served the gerbil well. Though he must have moved because The Hand grabbed him up and swung him onto A Shoulder where it released him. He scurried to a niche of soft skin and sweater, burying himself in the Hair there. It served the gerbil well. Until he burrowed a bit too much and The Hand was back to snatch him away, pulling bits of hairy bedding with him. His little ears rang with the loud “Ahhh!” sound but at least he was back in his cage. It served the gerbil well. He crouched frozen, again, eyes darting from the tipped orb, hay spilling out, to the empty food bowl…to his nest of shavings. He smiled a little gerbil smile and moved his little gerbil legs as quickly as he could to return to it. His wonderful, safe, well packed bed of shavings. It served the gerbil well.