Jack Layton Walker

 

Yeah, so what, i know I am the only one with a "normal" name, but there's a reason for that.  I am named after two Jacks.

 

The first is a guy named Jack Layton, who was Bill's friend.  Jack was the leader of the Federal New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011.  Bill had shared many laughs, and drank many beer, with Jack Layton, and I am proud to bare the name of such a great person.

 

The second Jack I am named after is Helen's grandfather Jack Walker.  I never met him, but Helen tells me he was a nice man.  Again, proud to be have his name.

 

Anyway, onto my story.

 

I was taken to Bide Awhile Animal Shelter for reasons unknown to me, but I do know I wasn't feeling great when I arrived there.  I had the sniffles and my eyes were watering something bad.  Turns out that I had an infection that kept me in something called "isolation" for a number of weeks before I was brought out to the general population.  Although I was in the ready to be adopted area, Darrold didn't want to adopt me out, because my infection--which was, at that point, non-contagious--had returned.  I was also scared.  There were so many other cats and many, many people coming into the room to look for a friend.  Not many of them saw me, because I would hide.  However, Helen and Bill found me.

 

Bill tells me that he was surfing the Bide Awhile adoption page one day and saw me.  He sent my name, along with three others, to Helen for her to take a look at.  He knew he wanted to add me to their family, but he didn't want his decision to influence Helen's.  When Helen responding to Bill which of us she was interested in, Bill was overjoyed, because she had choosen me too.

 

The next day they came to visit.  Again, I hide, but they moved a cat bed I was hiding behind and saw me.  Helen said, "Hi sweetie" and Bill said, "that's the one".  It was at that moment that I took a couple of tentative steps towards them and Bill snapped a picture of him.  I was so cute back then.

 

They had to wait for a few more days, until the vet gave the all clear, but I eventually ended up getting picked up but Helen and Bill and brought to their lovely home.  I was scared!

 

New surroundings, new smells (other cats) and a large place.  I hide under the guest bed for three weeks.  Bill would come and feed me and Helen would make sure my water dish was always full.  Eventually I decided it was time, and I came out, never to hide again.

 

I love this family and the love they show towards not only me, but Neko, Sakura, Kia and Meo.  My brothers are always commenting about their friend, Skye, who had passed right before I had arrived here, and I so wish I had the chance to meet him.  He sounds funny.

 

I have found a couple of places I'm comfortable with (their bed, the dinning table and on top of Bill's dresser.  When I'm there, I'll let them pet me for hours.  However, I haven't ventured to their laps yet, though Neko tells me that there is no safer place.  Someday my friends, some day I shall get the courage to jump up and visit, and will never let you go.

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p.s. it took me 4 full years, but I now spend time on either Helen's or Bill's lap.  They stroke me, and brush me, and I am just happy.