If a star in our night sky were suddenly to extinguish, we, looking up, wouldn't actually know of its demise for years because of the incredible distance that separates us and it. One day one of the lights in our lives would simply go out. 

Similarly, my tortoise Ruben, who is seven and who really does live under a rock, won't know that my sister and her boyfriend have broken up until he comes crawling out of hibernation in June and I'm there to greet him. 

I can already imagine the look on his face when he hears the bad news...

When it really hits him and begins to sink in...

And when he eases into denial to cope.

Of course that's basically the expression he had after I surprised him by telling him he's going to be the godfather of my future children and not to worry 'cause I already filed all the paperwork, so go figure.

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