It was an ordinary day, I think in the summer, in 2012 when my husband, Tony, and I drove over to a nearby town and went to an animal shelter. We had been married only a few months, I was working full time but dealing with undiagnosed medical issues and Tony had recently been laid off from his company in downtown Chicago. In an effort to boost my spirits, and because he had always had pets growing up, Tony agreed to take me to the animal shelter to get a dog. A dog. I had grown up with a phobia of dogs, a deep dislike of cats, parents who didn’t prefer pets, and thus a total disregard for animals in general. But I had heard of the benefits of pets, always wanted a puppy, and knew I wasn’t ready for children yet so really really wanted a puppy!
Once we entered the dog section of the shelter I knew I made a terrible mistake! The dogs were loud and energetic – yipping at their cages and really crazy! Of course they probably were excited to see someone in their area but for me it was overwhelming and I promptly went back into the lobby. On the other side was the cat section. I ventured in just to look, already resigned to the disappointment that I was not meant to have pets. My husband followed, ever patient, making his way on one side of the wall while I went down the other.
I can’t remember if Tony called out to me or if I turned around, but at some point I remember seeing a beautiful yellow-striped kitten. He was all alone in his cage and Tony was petting him through the bars. We talked to a shelter worker and were able to go to a small room and have the kitten brought in. We were told his name was Puck and he was about three months old. Tony instantly fell in love. Puck reminded him of a childhood cat and their mutual love blossomed before my eyes.
What turned out to be an adventure to bring a puppy into our home had turned into an adventure into the world of cats. After a filling out a few forms Puck became an official member of the family! Tony and Puck got to bond for a week while I was out of town on business. As Tony would say as soon as he brought Puck home to our one-bedroom apartment they were two peas in a pod. Instant buddies and lifetime friends!
Stayed tuned for the next edition of the WoPuRoLi World news where we meet Wolfgang.
hugs! 🙂 Sara
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