92: Nine

One day I was part of the gang, one of the lads and the next I was out. Oh, it was nothing I'd done and the guys said they didn't care, we'd still hang out but it all changed. I knew it might happen of course, but I hoped what we'd been through all those years might have counted for something.

Apparently I'm not big enough to be on the team any more. Imagine the indignity of having 'dwarf' added to what you are. I know there are others about and I could join in with a different group but I miss the old days.

It used to be the nine of us, round and round we'd go, shouting hi to each other as we circled by and ever so often we'd all have one big meeting. That was something to see, that was. Most of the time it's cold and dark where I live so meeting the boys was the one thing that made the sun come out. They were my world.

Being so far away doesn't help. Hubble can't even see me properly. It knows I'm there, just I'm a bit blurry. Apparently there's a mission called 'New Horizon' on its way to see me but I mustn't expect anything until 2015. Well that's all well and good but it does hurt when I can see all the attention Mars is getting. Sure it looks wonderful but Curiosity shows anything in its best light. By the time my secrets are beamed back to Earth, who'll care?

They did buy me a little present when the news of my demotion came out. There's only one more contrasty body in the whole solar system, so they got me a beautiful framed black and white print of me on holiday.

And whenever I get sad I just remember that Mickey Mouse named his beloved dog after me and it doesn't seem quite so bad.