Tom our pet tortoise ran away

For more than a month now, I have been cleaning Tom, our pet tortoise - changing his water in his container and also feeding him 3-4 times aday. Tom came to Popo Gong Gong's house more than two years ago, before William was born if I recall correctly. Popo then gave him to us because Victoria moved back with us, and I guess it's nice for the kids to have a pet that's relatively easy to maintain.

For many outstation trips, Tom has followed us, and during longer holidays, we leave him with Popo to tortoise-sit. He is a part of this family so much, that I feel he greets us everytime he sees our car drive into the porch or anyone of us.

Tom is unlike any other tortoise or turtle of his kind. He walks fast, for one thing. For another, he knows where to head - either the gate or the drain.

Two days ago on Wednesday, I changed his water in the morning as usual, and fed him his breakfast, then put Tom in his container on the grass in the garden. I take him down from on top of the cabinet, once in the awhile just so that this tortoise can be near to nature.

In the afternoon, I was hanging out the second load of laundry and suddenly realised that the surrounding was rather... quiet. No splashing of water or tortoise trying to get my attention. Then I quickly looked down at where his container was, and saw an open top!!! Yikes! I almost screamed for help and gave false alarm to the neighbors! Tom is missing! He's gone... ESCAPED!!!

Hubs rushed home almost immediately, printed some flyers to inform our neighbors. I went out to search for him, even sent out the part time maid. Separately, we searched the bushes and drains, under the cars, behind the plants, beside the potted plants, inside people's gardens and hubs spoke to the shopkeepers near our house. We were frantic! What if something bad happened to him? He did not even finished his breakfast, which showed that he planned his escaped. He could be anywhere, for a fast tortoise! I just pray it's not in someone's pot or crushed by a car.

This morning, hubs put out more flyers, down the road and behind our house. An hour ago, as I was hanging out the laundry, a kind Indian man on a bike who lived far down the road stopped in front of our gate, and I thought he was the delivery boy. When I went nearer, he put out a black thing in front of me, and out popped... TOM's head!! Tom! Tom! I couldn't contain my happiness, and thanked him profusely. I got his name and his house number and we are definitely going to get a little thank you gift for him.

So here is Tom... back and safe where he belong. And no more on the grounds for him, for now on his container is strictly on top of the cabinet and top must be locked. I gave him fresh water, fed him, checked for any physical injury and gave him a short lecture on running away like that.

Oh, and by the way, during Tom's absence, hubs caught a small but ugly frog who inhabited Tom's container, much to the two kids amusement. I was secretly thinking of getting two baby tortoise for the kids (out of guilt) but thank God, I didn't get around to do that.

Welcome home, Tom - the prodigal tortoise! We definitely missed you.