Fame at last!

In school, I once asked one of my classes how many of them would like to be famous. Some liked the idea – finding their X-Factor or becoming a famous athlete really appealed to them. Others weren’t so sure – they preferred their lives as they were. Here at the Vicarage we now have a Celebrity Bunny. Not the Easter Bunny, but our own Peter Rabbit. He is getting old, and problems with his teeth require a visit to the vet every couple of months.

Now the question of why suffering exists is among the thorniest of thorny questions. But turn on the TV, and you will find any number of programmes about hospitals, ambulances, doctors – and vets. We recoil from suffering, but we’re still fascinated by it, it seems.

When we arrived at the vets recently, a young woman with a clipboard came over and peered into the carrier. She explained that she was from a television company - they were making a programme about the veterinary practice. Please could they film Peter Rabbit? The next thing I knew, a microphone had been attached to my jacket, and we were on our way in to see the vet - who was wearing a camera on her head. The initial consultation, the procedure itself, and the check up afterwards were all filmed. Afterwards, in a Portakabin, I sat on a sofa with Peter alongside me in his carrier as his big moment arrived. Would he come out for the cameras? I opened the door. He turned his back on everyone, and then retreated to the far end of the carrier. No, he definitely wasn’t coming out.

I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to be famous for having wonky teeth either…

Brian