Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Kitten



I am not a happy holiday shopper. My list is short and if it's not available on Amazon Smile, it's not happening.

My husband and I exchange the same thing every year... socks. Socks are stress free. Socks are one size fits all and you can never have too many.

Last year I used the excuse that I was going through chemo and bought NOTHING. Last year was not a good Christmas.

Two years ago, on Christmas Eve, I willingly drove down Greenwich Avenue—a quarter mile grid of upscale shops in the center of town—with the intention of  buying ONE gift. It didn't matter what the gift was as long as the store was directly in front of an open parking space.

I was halfway down the avenue before I found a spot. It was in front of St. Mary's Parish. There, on the front lawn, beside a life-sized mangier, stood an elderly, elf-sized nun.

Convinced that this was a sign from above, I got out of my car and wished her a Merry Christmas.

"Want to see what I found?" she asked, "It's inside."

Refusing a nun on Christmas Eve seemed wrong, so into the rectory I went.

I was led to a dark corner of the kitchen, where a warped cardboard box housed a single kitten.

"Someone left three kittens on our doorstep," she told me.
"Where are the other two?" I asked.
"I can't remember," she confessed.

She lifted the unsuspecting kitten, squeezing him a bit too tightly, and handed him to me.

With two dogs and a cat at home, and condo rules that state only one pet per household, the last thing I needed was a kitten, but the odds of him surviving were grim if I left him behind.

I was halfway out the door, kitten cradled in my arms, when I remembered I was babysitting Mylo, my grandson's rambunctious rat terrier, who was anxiously waiting for me in the car.

Convinced the kitten was for his enjoyment, Mylo opened his mouth and lunged at the kitten the moment I opened the door.

The terrified kitten scurried out of my arms, up my chest, and onto my shoulder—imbedding his nails into the fur collar of my coat.

With my left arm on the wheel, my right hand on Mylo, and a kitten on my shoulder, I slowly worked my way down the avenue to my final stop before returning home—a seafood shop called The Lobster Bin.

My initial thought was to leave the kitten in the car and tie Mylo outside the store, but I couldn't get the kitten to release his grip so into the store we went.

The Lobster Bin was packed with frazzled shoppers. Immediately John, the owner, leaned over the counter and asked why I had a kitten on my shoulder. Everyone listened as told the story of the abandoned kitten.

"How much you want for him?" John asked.

"How about a donation to the church. You decide how much," I answered.

"Deal!" said John, "But I can't bring him home. My wife is allergic. He will have to live here."

"That's one lucky kitten," said a women to my left.

Overhearing this, John smiled wide and reached for his new kitten.

"Come to Papa, Lucky," said John.

The kitten, governed by his keen sense of smell, jumped off my shoulder and into John's arms.

My quest for a single gift turned out to be for me. I was given the gift of a story—the true story of how I flipped a kitten, in less than fifteen minutes, one magical Christmas Eve.


xo, Monkey Me



21 comments:

  1. What a wonderful Christmas story! And a lucky kitten indeed -- to spend his life living in a seafood shop! Heaven on earth! Have a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for 2015!

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    1. Hello Debra! Thanks for reading and commenting and all the best to you as well!

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  2. I love this story! I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Shannon. I'm happy this difficult year is coming to a close with you being happy and enjoying life.

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    1. Merry Christmas and all the best in 2015 to you as well Denise!

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  3. Thanks for the Christmas smiles, Green Monkey.

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  4. HO HO HO!!! IT's a Christmas miracle!!! What will this year bring, I wonder???


    XOXOXOXOXOXOXOOX

    MG

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    1. 50 degrees out and spent the day at the beach!!! a christmas miracle indeed!!!

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  5. Hi Shannon,

    Lovely imagery, as usual - with a bonus picture at the end! This reminds me of a story, "The Cat Who Went to Paris," and it made me smile. Do you ever visit the kitten/cat in its new home at the Lobster Bin?

    Thank you for writing. It is a wonderful Christmas present to your blog-fans.

    Merry Everyday,

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    1. Hi Ed! as for the kitten, I was afraid to ask at first. I don't know why. Maybe I thought John would want me to take him back. I am headed there this weekend. Maybe this time I'll ask :)

      "Merry Everyday".... I like that.

      Thank YOU for reading

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    2. I grinned and chuckled at you thanking me for reading your blog. What a funny thing to be thanked for! I am voracious and read far too much, generally. And to be thanked on top of that tickled my funny sensors.

      Have an enjoyable celebration of this coming new year. Though everyday is worth celebrating, somehow we choose to memorialize the annual ones... Merry Newyear, my friend-in-spirit.

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  6. Let's check on kitty next week, we need more Lobsters!

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  7. Nice story. Hubby and I don't fall for the Christmas shopping frenzy either. We have everything we need (probably too much) so we don't need to spend money on more junk. Your condo association says one pet per condo? Yet another reason why I won't buy a home with an association where a few (power hungry) assholes sit on the board can tell me how to live my life. Happy Holidays. I'm glad you are doing well.

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    1. the dog rules are over the top. to me whats most important is that you are a responsible dog owner. you clean up after your dog, etc. i received a complaint that I groomed my dog (it wasn't addressed specifically to me but it was me) and left dog hair outside. I did this deliberately for the birds - bundled some into a ball and put it in the bushes. then a grumpy neighbor complains. ridiculous!!!!!

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  8. I love this story, for so many reasons. (((HUGS))) Hope your Christmas turns out to be everything you need it to be.

    And that you get great socks. :)

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  9. What a great story, Shannon! And on Christmas Eve, no less. Socks are under-rated. I just bought myself a multicolor pair I've been admiring in a catalog for years. Wishing you a wonderful new year.

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  10. Merry Merry New Year, Shannon!! I gave out socks for Christmas this year. No kittens, though. Enjoy! xoxo

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  11. Lucky little kitten! Socks were not on my list this year, which is unusual, because you're right, you can never have enough. Same goes for T-shirts, this year I bought my husband one with the words 'TROPHY HUSBAND' written across the front. He wears it proudly! LOL It was a lovely day!
    Wishing you all the best this exciting New Year!

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  12. You are surrounded by magic! You could easily lead a simple life, but the magic doesn't let you! You HAVE to shine. I'm so glad to know oyu, and look forward to seeing you again!
    With love,
    Jesse

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  13. Great story, Shannon. Your writing keeps getting better and better.

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Thank you for encouraging my JOY of writing. By reading and commenting you are feeding my soul, stroking my heart, and in the end...making me a better writer.

Thank You For Encouraging My Joy of Writing

Thank You For Encouraging My Joy of Writing
greenmonkeytales@live.com

Shannon E. Kennedy

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Photo by Joan Harrison