How my baby came into my life, the result of a contest I entered, and won.
Kismet! That’s what it was; Loofa in my life was no accident. We were meant to be together, but NOT in the shower, puhleeze!!
It was just a normal morning as I was taking a shower that I had a visitor. Loofa loved to play in the tub and in the sink with the water running. This is the story of how he came into my life.
Back in September of 2000, I was listening to my favorite radio station, waiting for the ocean jet to fly on their latest contest. I was trying to qualify for a trip for two to Mazatlan, Mexico. IF you managed to get through on the contest line, you HAD to be the ninth caller in order to qualify. I felt lucky this particular day and my feelings proved true when the announcer answered the phone with the statement, “Ocean Jet, you’re the ninth caller”. I just about fell off my chair! So now my name was entered for the trip and I would receive a qualifying prize just for getting through; a $25.00 gift certificate and a mug with the station’s logo. When I went down to the station to pick up my prizes, I discovered that the gift certificate was for a local pet store, so I figured ‘what the heck,’ I’d just get a few things for the two dogs and one cat we had already.
Two weeks later, Pat and I finally got the chance to go down to this pet store to see just what they had, and it was with full intentions, on my part, that this money would be spent on Toby, Sam, (Samantha) and Ming. Little did I know what was about to occur…. The dog treats were located on the upper level of the store so we headed up there and while browsing the shelves, we noticed a kitten, all on his own in a cage. I stopped to look, thought for a moment that there was really nothing special about him and then continued on down to the next aisle.
A few moments later, Pat told me about a kitten she had seen and I told her that I’d seen him as well. I wasn’t interested in getting another cat, we already had the dogs, cat AND a pair of cockatiels, but Pat loves ‘babies’ and off she went in search of a clerk. She wanted to hold the kitten, even if it was just for a moment. By this time I had wandered back to the same area as the kitten but was at the opposite end of the aisle, talking to an employee who had a parrot on her shoulder as she ate her lunch. We were talking about the parrot and birds in general when a tap on my shoulder turned me around; there stood Pat with the kitten in her arms, holding him out to me. She plopped him in my arms and wandered off, so he and I studied each other for a moment. I think that we both didn’t know what to make of each other at the same time, but then he rubbed his nose against my face and I was hooked. It was love at first site. As I rubbed my nose right back, his mouth slipped up near my ear and he whispered that his name was Loofa, and that he would love to come home and live with me. I turned around and announced this to anyone who was within earshot, and the fact that we were going home now.
A $25.00 gift certificate bought my new baby (he was on sale for $19.95) plus a box of kitty food and we left the store. I never regretted my decision from that day. He was a constant source of amusement and love. I had this companion who slept with me, sleept on me, loved me no matter what and followed me everywhere. Even into the shower. There was always something to giggle about with a Loofa in my life.
By the way, I won that contest and I took both of my sisters to Mazatlan.
rockpriestess writes 