My week started the same as any other week at work. That is until our gas pumper walked into the store with a tiny kitten that was obviously over heated, hurt and unresponsive.
It had arrived under the hood of a woman's vehicle. She was on her way to work and had already left.
Blood was on one ear, its chin and under the front leg. It was panting heavily, so I grabbed the cream I used for my coffee that morning and we tried to get it to drink. It drank a little and fell to its side panting heavily again.
After placing a clean town inside an open box I stared at it and pondered what its fate would be.
I knew immediately, if its injuries were severe it would face death yet again at the hands of a vet. I even debated my allergies to cat hair at that point and considered adopting it myself.
My solution was to put my co-workers on the spot, telling them I would call the SPCA, but not until one of them agreed to adopt the kitten. I even asked a couple of our regular customers to adopt it. The guy who found it and was the first to pick it up agreed he'd adopt the kitten. This made me very happy.
With the knowledge the kitten would be placed in a good home, I called the SPCA and told the story to Michelle.
While I was on the phone with her this poor, little kitten raised its head and looked me square in the eye. I admit I have a huge soft spot for animals and right there, it had me. My hope was rising for its recovery, as it was panting less and was alert.
We took the kitten to Michelle and she in turn quickly took it a local vet. He assessed it and determined it needed the front left leg amputated. Michelle called me back and although the vet agreed to do the surgery at a discounted rate, the cost was still too high for the gas pumper and the SPCA to afford.
The kitten's leg injury, she told me, were severe and once again the kitten faced death.
I simply couldn't let that happen. This tiny creature looked me in the eye with a cry for help and I couldn't abandon it now. I told Michelle to have the vet do the surgery and we would raise the money through donations from our staff, customers who come into the store and from myself. Something moved her and she said they would do the same.
Michelle called me again the next day to tell me the kitten had made it through surgery and although it had a hard tame waking from the anesthetic, was doing fine. Then another miracle entered the SPCA. Her name is Helen. She is a lady who, without ever seeing the kitten and upon hearing the story, agreed to donate the money for the surgery.
Helen has devoted her energies to donating to the SPCA and helping to raise money for a badly needed new facility. I admire her and she has inspired me to do more.
Within two days, we raised enough money to cover the $125 adoption fee, thanks to Northside Esso staff and customers, within. I want to thank each and every one of you who placed money inside that jar. With Helen's extraordinary help with the surgery fee, this story has become one we will never forget.
Thank you, Helen, for opening your heart to one in need. It was amazing to meet you.
In my brief talk with Helen, I learned she is waiting on her own surgery to replace her heart. My guess is the one she has is just too full. I hope everything works out for her and, even if we never meet again, I will think of her often.
Seventy-two hours after being found, the kitten, named Ihop, was placed in my arms, happy and full of life and love. It is difficult to believe this is the same lifeless kitten barely holding on to life that was placed in my arms that fateful Monday. Yes, he is missing his front leg and has faced death three times in one week, but he's finally on his way to a loving home.
That week, I helped save a life, met a wonderful component of our community and learned our city desperately needs a better facility for those placed on Earth to teach us what true friendship and unconditional love really are.
What did you do this week?
