Sampson

Seven years ago I was living by myself in an apartment; my boyfriend was on the other side of the world doing Army things that I barely knew anything about. I was feeling a bit lonely and a bit rebellious now that I was in my own home and could have a pet if I wanted to and my mom couldn’t tell me “no”. I found Sampson through Petfinder.com and quickly adopted him from a college aged girl whose former roommate had left him behind in a move.

At first Sampson was snippy and apprehensive but he soon warmed up to me (but not many other people). I let him sleep on my bed every night even though he took up more room than a six foot tall man. When I went on vacation he snubbed me for an entire week after I came back. When we got another “friend” for him he took his friend’s antics in stride. When Sophia was born he took that in stride too, although he was not happy about not being the number one baby anymore and when she became mobile and loud he just avoided her but was amenable to some petting and cuddling on occasion.

While he wasn’t an angel he was a good pet and loved us in his own way and on his own terms. Tonight is the first night in seven years that he won’t be sleeping on the couch or the end of the bed. I don’t know if he’s in a cat nip dusted heaven but I do know he’ll be missed in our home.