It was Summer 2006. A big flood had hit our area and roads were closed. I had earlier noticed a mother cat and three kittens roaming around the neighborhood probably trying to stay dry. They showed up just after dusk and then disappeared. I took my 130 pound great pyreneese dog to the yard for a potty break. He began to sniff around the front of my car and became animated. I popped the hood and peered in. I saw nothing at first. Then as I looked closer I saw a pair of brilliant amber eyes staring back at me. I reached in and pulled out a tiny black kitten I took him into the house and put him in a closed room away from my other cats. I gradually introduced him to the others and he fit right in. I named him Sundown because that was the time of day I first saw him. Sundown has now been a cherished member of my family for thirteen years.

raoul diblasi
SCRANTON, PA