It was early December. I had just pulled into my veterinarian's parking lot with a "Bunch-O-Birman" babies for their final vaccinations and health checks when another car pulled in beside mine.
A tall, handsome man got out holding a single cat carrier.
I saw him looking at me struggling with my own collection of carriers. Striding over to my car he smiled and asked,
"Can I help?"
Grateful for the offer I replied,
"I have five kittens and I sure could use a hand with them."
He held up his own carrier which contained a Siamese, and said,
"This is Mickey Mouse."
I smiled and took a peek at his cat. Then he said the words that brought a lump to my throat.
"She is 20 years old." He paused as he struggled to get the words out. "This is her last visit to the vet."
What could I say that might give this stranger comfort? There really were no words that would help. I softly said,
"It is a hard thing to do." He nodded slightly.
"Yes."
Together we walked into the vet's office. He handed the carrier to the receptionist who took his cat away.
He watched the door through which they went for a long time after it closed. As if to distract himself, he turned to me and introduced himself.
"My name is Mike". He was interested in my kitties, and asked hopefully, "Do you have any Siamese kittens?"
"No", I said, "I am sorry, I don't... just Birman babies."
He looked disappointed. But I showed him a Birman kitten anyway - a sealpoint girl named Zeror... and it was love at first sight.
Mike did not have to go home with an empty carrier after all.
And waiting at home was a two-year-old neutered Siamese named "Norton". Norton fell in love with his new roommate as fast as Mike did.
The kitten, now renamed "Murphy", regularly sleeps in the arms of her protective big "brother". So she seems to be as enchanted with the new "men" in her life as they are with her.
Some things are just meant to be...