“Happy holidays!” he hollers from behind me
Without looking back, I send him a wave before bolting out of the woodshop.
Sophia hada shift tonight at Popol Vuh, Itzel’s restaurant, so I had to take the subway back home. It’s unusually warm for mid-December, and everything is wet.
The subway station is about an eight-minute walk to my place, and I justknowthat the dirty slush will soak through the small hole in my combat boot. Not to mention that my ratty earphones died while I was listening to them on the subway.
I sigh, shoving my hands in my bomber jacket, and accept my miserable fate for the rest of the walk home.
What else is new?
I’m cutting through an alley when I hear a faint sound coming from the dumpster. I don’t pay it any mind until I hear it again. This time, I’m almost positive it sounds like a kitten’s meow.
Stopping in my tracks, I slowly approach the dumpster, my ears perked.
I hear it again.
Shit.
It’s definitely a cat—and it sounds like it’s in distress.
I push up on my toes and stretch my neck to look into the dumpster, but can’t see anything. The meows only get louder and more urgent as if it’s somehow sensing me there. I look around the alley not really knowing what I’m looking for and curse under my breath when I realize I’m going to have to dumpster dive if I want to save this damn kitten.
I spot a milk crate near one of the back doors, most likely used to sit on during smoke breaks, and jog to go fetch it. Milk crate in hand, I return to the dumpster and set it on the ground, bottom facing up. If I base it on the sounds of the meows, the kitten is somewhere in the far right corner of the dumpster.
Pushing with my two hands, I heave myself up and swing a leg up so I can catch the ledge with my foot. I manage to perch myself on the side like some kind of fucking gargoyle, the stench of garbage hitting me square in the face.
I grumble another slew of profanities, trying to psyche myself up and finally maneuver my way down into the dumpster. My feet land on uneven ground, garbage bags full of god knows what squelching under my boots, and I start to uncontrollably gag.
The meows grow louder, but I can’t see any sign of life in the pitch-black pit. I take my phone out and turn on the flashlight. Aiming it toward the sound, I still don’t see anything. It’s then that I realize the kitten is inside a bag. I fall to my knees and start ripping at the garbage until I find the plastic bag it’s stuck in and rip it open.
Goddamn sociopath.
I’d fucking kill whoever did this.
Finally, a little black ball of fur appears, and all I see are watery eyes staring up at me, the meows not letting up.
“It’s okay, little guy,” I coo, softly picking it up, surprised at how gentle my voice sounds. “We’re getting you out of here.”
It’s a lot harder to crawl out of this dumpster one-handed, but I manage to climb out without falling flat on my face. When back on steady ground, I plop the little thing on the asphalt and wipe my hands on my jeans.
The kitten stays put, looking up at me, all black fur save for one white spot around its left eye. It meows again, but this time it sounds more curious than distressed.
I flick my hand toward the mouth of the alley. “You’re free now, little guy. Go.” But it stays put, and we stare at each other for a long, quiet beat. “Okay, well …” I say, clearing my throat. “I’m going now. Stay away from dumpsters, okay?”
I awkwardly wave to the kitten as if we’re two old friends saying goodbye and turn my back to it, a small twinge of guilt plucking at my heart, but I ignore it. Walking out onto the main street, I turn to look over my shoulder just before turning the corner.
Oh for fuck’s sake.
It’s following me. I turn on my heels to face it, putting my hands up, signaling to stop.
“No, no. I’m not your mommy.” I point in the opposite direction. “Go find other street cats or something.”
It cocks its little head to the side and meows again. We face off once more but the damn cat is clearly not going anywhere, and I just want to get home.
“Fine,” I mutter under my breath. “Suit yourself.”
The kitten ends up trotting beside me all the way to the front door of my apartment building.
