That Day

Though it was approximately 29 years ago, I still remember the day I first saw him.

I was 5 years old. I lived in an apartment that was part of a triplex. Actually, it was two triplexes facing each other with a strip of grass, about 20 feet wide, between the two. I lived in apartment B on one side and he had just moved into apartment C on the other side.

That day was a nice, sunny day. It may have been spring or summer. He was sitting in the grass between our homes, petting a young kitten. He had an average, athletic build and slightly wavy black hair combed back. His skin was dark and he had a big smile.

I was a scrawny kid back then with long, straight, light brown hair. I was a bit shy and I loved kittens. I stood in my doorway with the screen door slight ajar watching him, watching the kitten, through the 2 inch opening. He saw me there. He looked straight at me and held out the kitten, beckoning me out to see the kitten. My love of kittens overcame my shyness and I went to him.

And my life was never the same after that.