Michael R. Lunde was vacationing in Maui from Honolulu, where he lived at the time, when he visited Dan's Green House. A little piglet, which literally could fit in his hands, nudged Lunde's leg.
Lunde instantly fell in love.
Priscilla Pua'a Lunde is the official name of the miniature Hawaiian pot belly pig, now 10and both owner and his four-legged friend call Chicago home.
"I believe that Priscilla picked us to be her family," said Lunde, who moved to Chicago earlier this year with his longtime partner, Raqi Couture, and a good friend of theirs, Travis Hanakahi. "She's a perfect addition because she is smart, clean, potty-trained, and so adorable. Look at our family: different and eye-catching. She's a perfect fit.
"Priscilla is like my own daughter. Although it takes a lot of effort to relocate a pig and a golden doodle [dog] across the [Pacific] Ocean, Priscilla is everywhere I'm at. I don't even think she knows that she is a pig."
Priscilla eats protein pellets in the morning, fruits and veggies for lunch
and dinner. She also chows an occasional veggie lovers pizza, Lunde said.
"We built a section for Priscilla [at our home in Hawaii], made with three or four-foot high walls," Lunde said. "We left her home alone for the first time and, when we came home, she wasn't in her section. After looking in panic, we finally found her cozily wrapped in our comforter on the bed.
"We learned that she is a jumping piglet and covers herself in a blanky."
Lunde used to walk Priscilla through Waikiki, "and we felt like we were with a celebrity. We couldn't walk five feet without tourists asking to take a picture with Priscilla. If she charged each tourist for a picture, if it was her choice, she would have an endless supply of fruits and veggies."
THE STATS
Age: "Thirtysomething"
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Hometown: Seattle
Relationship status: In an 11-year relationship
Favorite movies: About Schmidt and The Jazz Singer
Favorite TV shows: The Goldbergs, The Blacklist, and The Following
Hobbies: Sports, karaoke, "any excuse to be with family, and anything to do with the outdoors."
Favorite sports team: Seattle Seahawks
Former job: "I [was] a promoter, bartender, and the Aloha Liaison for Hula's Bar and Lei Stand [in Waikiki] for 10 years."
Favorite drink at a bar: Ketel One and cranberry juice, with a splash of Redbull and Bud Lite.
Little-known fact: "I'm a big shoe and hat collector."