The Beginning

It must have been about June of 08 when I first went to the Animal Shelter. I wanted to volunteer there to walk dogs in the mornings before my summer calculus course. I don't think that the first time I went I even looked at the cats there. I picked up my application, took it home, filled it out, took it back. I suppose that was the first time that I wandered in to see the cats. I think I got "yelled" at for sticking my fingers in the cage to let one of them sniff me, which people are not supposed to do. Then I went back again with Ashley at some point because she wanted to "see the kitties." I'm not sure if I had noticed Flower before this time or not, but I remember distinctly noticing Flower this time when we both went in to the shelter. Ashley was having fun and we were looking at all of the cats and I started reading the signs posted on the front and I realized that most of the cats had been there for less than 2 months. Then I read Flower's name plaque on the front of her cage. It was more elaborate than the others; it had her name, typed instead of just handwritten on a sort of index card, and there was a background that was covered in purple flowers. It said, and I can't remember the exact words, "Please give me a good home - I've been here far too long." I noticed at that point that she had been there since about December, nearly 6 months already. Now this made me think or maybe feel; those cages are not that big. There not that small but they're not that big either. My heart immediately went out to her. I showed Ashley, who suggested that we pet her. The attendant had offered several times to let us pet any of the cats we wanted, but I felt bad letting them out and getting there hopes up. But I felt so much for Flower having been cooped up in that cage for 6 long months that I had to let her out for at least a little bit. The attendant came and took her out and put us in the special "petting room" for prospective owners. I don't think Ashley wanted to pet Flower that day but I did; I knew she could use the love and attention. I pet her and brushed her and after only a few minutes she bit me soundly; I knew she didn't mean anything by it. I didn't want to leave and have to make her go back into the cage but eventually we decided to go and the attendant came to get her. Flower did not want us to leave, or rather did not want to go back to the cage, either. The attendant had to get a towel in order to pick Flower up without being coming away needing stitches. That was a very sad moment for me; knowing that Flower did not want to be there but that in 6 months nobody had wanted to take her home. I still can hardly stand to think how that must have felt for her. I don't remember when, but sometime after that I decided to consider bringing her home to live. Varr had already mentioned the possibility of getting a cat and I thought that this must be the one. I had to submit an application and eventually Varr came down to meet Flower at the shelter also. It didn't take long for them to decide and before I knew it I was bringing Flower home to Manzano.