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I remember the summer I interned at the institute, trying to surprise Paul with a present from the farm.  While watering the horses one night, I happened upon an amphibian and managed to catch it with a shovel.  The poor creature survived the night in a plastic bucket and the horrors of my driving.  I proudly showed my catch to another teacher only to be mocked for my folly at finding, not a frog, but a toad.  I was crestfallen; this was no laboaratory mascot.  Still, I shyly showed my catch to Paul, expecting little.

“A toad!” he cried, breaking into a smile, “how cute!”  He then proceeded to explain how toads more closely resemble mammals than frogs and mammals are the epitome of cuteness.  At my request, he showed me the most obvious difference between frogs and toads, the parotid gland.  Then he searched the bio department for an adequate aquarium and finding none, purchased one at Petco.  We kept Charlie/Charlotte for the summer.  Three more toads after her.