Tuesday, February 1, 2011

day 8: un momento.

A moment? I've been pondering this all day. Any moment in my entire life, huh? K I've got one.

So two summers ago I stayed with my Grandparents in Michigan. I was there for a month when my mom and brother also came to join. And they brought a grand prize. My doggie Eddy and my much, MUCH missed kitty Chili.



(That's Chili. All of our cats are orange. We love Gingers, even in cat form.)
After a month in an animal-less home I was DYING to see my cat. We had wonderful bonding time, Chili and I. My Gran forbid him from my room but I snuck him in. We built card houses and made cookies and painted our nails and rode bikes. And we sat on the roof at sunset and viewed the world. Epic, right?? (ha) So we hung around for a bit then my brother and cousins and I went to Ohio for about a week. I told my Gran, "Take care of Chili and DON'T LET HIM OUTSIDE!!" And she said okay.
When we got back from Ohio I looked for Chili first thing. He was nowhere to be found.
I was getting scared. I finally found him in the deepest darkest corner of the garage curled up into a ball. I knew right off something was wrong because he didn't look up when I came close to him. I touched him and he cried. The worst noise I have ever beheld. I freaked. I picked him up. And he was like a ragdoll. He felt very lumpy, and so broken. I ran to my mom in hysterics and we rushed him to the vet. They said they would do everything they could for him. I got home and cried my eyes out. I knew what was going to happen. I just knew it.
Sure enough, my mom got a call. They'd put him to sleep because he had so many broken bones and internal bleeding. I told my Gran to not let him outside but he got out anyways, and prolly got hit by a car. I cried every night for a week. I can't express to you the amount of love I'd had for that silly cat. There is a whole separate part of your heart reserved for animals, I think. And when it breaks it's a certain kind of pain. It's horrible.

So now for the good, not horribly depressing part: On our way back to Utah, we stayed at my cousin's in Kansas for a week and a half. My mom and Aunt Sarah announced that they were making a Costco run. When they got back I was slumped on the couch with my back to the door, playing on a laptop. I yelled hello but didn't move. Then, the moment: suddenly, magically, miraculously, a hand appeared in front of my face and a perfect little orange kitten plopped right on my lap. I screamed and burst out crying simultaneously. 2 MUCH CUTE 2 HANDLE. All my cousins zapped as if magnetized right to me on the couch going "AWWWWW!!!! AWWWW!!!!!!!" And trying to pet him but I could not let him go. I was sooooooooo in heaven. We spent two days laboriously trying to find the perfect name for him. My cousin Olivia finally blurted out "Gary" and so it was done.



Aunt Sarah with baby Gary. I love that babe.

4 comments:

Kristine said...

Gary as a wee kitten! How sweet! Awe, this post totally made my day. Mal, you make me smile.

Hilary said...

This just made me tear up. My poor little brother was nine when he got a kitten and ten when it was hit by our neighbor. He called me at work, SOBBING. It was so sad.
Anyway, I love that you love animals so much, especially cats. It makes up for all the people in the world who hate them. Ha.

Lindsey said...

GARY!!! Top three coolest kit cats I know.

Nicole said...

I just cried for you internally. I love kitty cats.