From there I consulted the map purchased on my first day in town to figure out how to get to the shelter. I’d never been to one before, and I didn’t know what exactly to do once I got there, but then I remembered that everything I’d done in the past week had been a new experience, and so far I hadn’t made any fatal mistakes. How hard could it be to pick up a cat?

I entered the shelter and my ears and nose were assaulted with the sounds and smells of many, many animals. The receptionist led me to the cat section, where I decided I’d rather take all of them home than have to choose between them. I looked up and down the row of cages, and each was cuter than the last. Drat. This wasn’t going to be easy. I was going to have to come up with a new strategy.

I asked the nearest volunteer which cat had been around the longest. She’d seen me perusing the cages and smiled. “Can’t decide?”

“It’s a lot harder than I expected.”

She pointed down three cages. “The black American shorthair in cage five has been here three weeks. She’s really skittish; a lot of people come here with their kids, and she’s not real good with kids. Too loud and energetic. The kids, I mean.” She grinned.

I peered into the cage. The cat was curled up in the corner, looking traumatized. Her gold eyes stared out unblinkingly from her solid black face.

“Want to check her out?” I nodded, and she unlocked the cage. I set my hand on the floor of the cage and tapped my finger lightly.

“Come here, cutie,” I coaxed. She leaned forward and sniffed in the direction of my finger for a moment, then stood and inched closer. I slowly moved my hand up to her face and scratched underneath her chin. She began to purr and rubbed her head against my hand. I picked her up and held her against me, and she stared up at me and pawed lightly at my shoulder.

The volunteer chuckled. “I think we have a winner.”

The minute I opened the cardboard carrying case the shelter had given me, the cat leapt out and took off down the hall. I followed her into my room, where I saw her tail disappear under the bed. I didn’t blame her for being terrified, and while she was hiding I set up her food and water in the kitchen against the wall, and her litter box in the small utility room. I hoped she was smart enough to go looking for the box instead of doing her business under my bed.