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"Is that when I get to do my part?" Sam asks I’m sick with nerves This part is delicate and if it doesn’t work, uys to try and adopt the cat

"I can handle it," I say

He gives ic"

I feel bad for dragging him out here on a Saturday for no reason "Okay," I say finally "Just followcoffee and hot chocolate until my skin feels ju, put it inDaneca’s eating a package of chocolate-covered coffee beans and looking at ford or if I’ve already revealed too much of myself

I wonder if I should tell her that her part’s over and she can go ho to tell her that, I should have told her o, so I decide that I better not do it now

"What are those for?" Sa to the flyers

"You’ll see," I say We cross the highhich involves running across two lanes of traffic when the light changes, and then walk down a side street until we get to the shelter There’s a lot of people there on a Saturday, iant carpet-covered trees are perched upon by dozens and dozens of hissing, dozing, and clawing felines I feel my heart drop when I see that Lila is not in there The possibility that she’s been taken home with a fa or considering anymore when I think it

The white cat is Lila

Sam looks atI clear uy at the desk looks up His face is athis here?" I say, and hold up a flyer

It’s on bright white paper, and there’s a photograph I downloaded off the Internet of the cutest fluffy white Persian cat I could find without a collar A dead ringer for our description of Coconut Above it is the word "FOUND" and then a phone nuuy

"Sure," he says

He’s a perfectout a pretty girl I’lad Daneca decided to be part of the plan

I start tacking another copy to the board, praying that in the chaos the desk guy looks at the flyer I left for hi hi next toon I drop the copy as if it’s an accident and pick it up again

Finally the woet the guy’s attention, and he finally looks down at the flyer I can see the gears move behind his eyes

"Hey, you found this cat?" he says

"Yeah," I say "I’ to keep her" People love to help Iton the cake "My little sister is super excited She’s been wanting a cat for a while"

Saht; I need to tone it down

I slip my hand into my pocket and take out the bracelet It shines in the fluorescent lights "Look at this gaudy collar" I laugh "Who puts a cat in souy says slowly His eyes sparkle like the stones

As convincers go, I’ve seen worse

"Man,to be disappointed" I take a breath, let it out again "Well, tell your friend to call me"

This is the moment of truth, and when I look into the face of the ot hiuy, but that five hundred dollars is quite a lure Plus the collar

Plus, he’d have an excuse to call Daneca

"Wait," he says "Maybe you could bring the cat here I’m sure I know the owner The cat’s name is Coconut"

I turn toward the door and then back to him "I was stupid to tell my sister, but now she’s all excited and--well, I don’t suppose you have a white cat here? All I told her about it was the color"

He looks eager "We do Sure"

I let outthe relief that I know floods reat I’d love to have a white cat to take horins Like I said, people love to help, especially when they can help the so

"Cool," I say "Let me fill out the paperwork and we’ll take the cat Your friend’s fluffy kitty is at this guy’s house, so we’ll go get her and bring her right to you" I gesture toward Sa fleas to my mother’s couch," Sam says, which is perfect I wish I could tell hilance

The mark hands me the fore as nineteen, specify a veterinarian, and make up a name that’s not even close to my own

"Do you have any ID?" he asks

"Sure," I say, and reach into my back pocket for my wallet I flip it open and touch the place where driver’s licenses go Mine’s not there

"Oh, man," I say "This isn’t uy asks

I shake my head "No idea Look, I totally understand if that breaks the rules or whatever I have one other place to hang up fliers, then I’ll go look for ive me a call and I can just drop the cat with her My sister will understand"

The guy giveslook

"You have the adoption fee?" he asks

I look down at the paper, but I already knohat it says "Fifty bucks, sure"

The door rings, and soh it, but the man behind the desk keeps his eyes on me He licks his lips

I take out the cash and set it down on the counter in front of his in the last few days, between bad bets and spending I’ on the rest

"Okay, I’ll hook you up," thethe money

"Oh," I say "Cool Thanks" I know better than to overplay it

"So, this long-haired cat," Sa hiuy behind the counter "Do you need to call your friend or anything?"