A story written last year during my Junior year:



	Although you, Pepper, are merely a cat to others, I have such a connection with you.  I still remember the day my mother and I bought you so clearly, although it was nearly thirteen years ago.  It was a crisp September afternoon and my mother and I had just finished grocery shopping.  After we loaded the car with the bags of food, I asked her if we could go visit the pet store that was located in the same shopping center.  To my surprise she said we could and I happily walked with her over to the store.  Once inside,  I immediately walked over to where the puppies and kittens were being held.  My mom, however, had a different idea.  She brought me over to the fish and the hamsters.  I enjoyed looking at them but had to go back to look at the furry animals.  I peered into the lowest cage which was just at my eye level.  Inside was a mother cat with about nine of her kittens.  The kittens were a variety of colors from orange to striped to black and white to calico. There was one kitten sitting by the window peeking out at me.  It seemed to be looking right at me.  I placed my hand on the glass that separated us and the kitten placed its paw where my hand was.  Then it started licking the glass where my hand was and I knew then I had to have him.  We found out you were nine weeks old and a boy.  On the drive home, my mom and I thought of many names for you but the one that somehow fit you was Pepper.

	Throughout your young kitten life, you were incredibly frisky and always ended up in some sort of trouble.  I thought it was just cute, and since I was also young, I had enough energy to keep up with you.  However, my mom did not find this as charming as I did and would often punish you by putting you in the bathroom for a “time out”.  I hated when she did this and I could hear you crying but I knew she was trying to change your attitude.  At night, you would be the sweetest you could be and would cuddle with me in my bed.  You would often give me kisses on my hand or face yet would not dare go near most of the other people who came around.  It seemed that you trusted me and I loved you even more for that.  One day, however, you did attack me when you thought I was going after your food.  You bit my head, put your claws in my head, and your back claws in my back.  I had to go the emergency room but I was ok.  My mom was furious though.  After arguing with her for many days, I finally convinced her to keep you.

	We moved from that house when I was six and moved here to Mahwah.  Since then, you seemed to have calmed down a little bit.  Also, we have brought other animals into the house.  Besides a few fish and a hamster, we brought in Rosie, a cat that was going to be abandoned. She was older than you and you two used to fight over food and other things.  Near the end of her life, though, you seemed to soften to her and would almost protect her.  We also brought in Frenchie, the somewhat annoying dog who you constantly clash with.  Throughout these ordeals, I have tried to make sure you knew that I still cared about you and you seemed to understand.

	Throughout these past thirteen or so years, I have gone through many difficult ordeals and have always had you to comfort me.  You are much more than a cat to me, you are my “baby”, which I constantly remind you.  If I upset you, you show it, but you always forgive me for whatever I did.  No one will ever fully understand what sort of connection we have and many will think that I am crazy for even writing this, but I do not care what they think.  I know what is there and I know somehow you know how much you mean to me.  It will be incredibly hard to say goodbye to you someday but until then I will treat you like the king you are.