The fruit vendor opened the box. A small face peeked out, with huge frightened eyes that seemed ready to spill over like two big teardrops.
“She’s not eating anything, probably snatched from her mother and tossed away. Her fur is all matted because she was living in a peach crate.”
The customer didn’t say anything and walked away. The man shook his head sadly: “Even women have lost their empathy.” But after a while, she returned. “I can’t get your kitten out of my mind,” she said, handing over a cloth:
“Wrap her up.”
“You’re taking her?” the man asked, delighted. He gently wrapped the kitten, handing her over like a precious gift.
“It’s an act of kindness,” he repeated, “It’ll come back to you.” The woman smiled indulgently: “You’ve found yourself a savior. I don’t know how my husband will react to this ‘gift’. We might both end up on the street.”
And her premonition held true. The kitten wasn’t welcome at home. Even though she was cleaned up, brushed, and fed, she still looked pitiful and scruffy.
“What is this little creature?” her husband grumbled as the kitten tried to climb his leg. The scratching of tiny claws had dragged them from their TV show. Their new, expensive wallpaper was at risk.
“Do we really need her in our one-bedroom flat?” he scolded his wife.
Picking up the kitten by the scruff, he eyed the helpless creature with disdain: “Make sure she’s gone by tomorrow.”
Valerie soon regretted her decision. But those big tear-filled eyes looked up at her, little paws kneaded her leg, and the tiny body purred so fervently that a warm wave of compassion flowed through her heart. She bent down and stroked the kitten.
Encouraged by her touch, the kitten climbed onto her lap, nuzzling its nose into her warm hand. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,” Valerie remembered her mother’s words and felt comforted by her choice.
The phone rang:
“Grandma, come over for tea!”
Valerie quietly slipped out without interrupting her husband’s viewing.
Her son lived just across the street. Katie was already standing outside, waving excitedly. Suddenly, a big black car veered onto the sidewalk. A child’s body was tossed into the air. Valerie froze, unable to scream or move.
Her eyes, like in slow motion, absorbed every detail: a woman picked up the girl. Tiny arms clung tightly around her neck. She was alive! A man stepped out of the car with difficulty. Drunk. Her son was running towards them, in uniform.
With trembling hands, he tried to draw his weapon and stumbled at her cry:
“No!!!”
From across the road, she seemed to be pushing him back with her sharply outstretched arms.
People rushed over, intervened, and led the drunk driver away. Valerie felt as if her feet were numb. Yet she walked… or was she carried? To Katie! The doctor was already checking her, examining each bone:
“She’s fine. No fractures. No serious injuries.”
“But why isn’t she speaking?!” her daughter-in-law shivered with worry.
“She’s scared. We need to distract her,” suggested the doctor.
“I’ll be right back.”
Valerie dashed home. She ran in, grabbed the kitten, breathlessly recounting the incident to her husband. She made it back in time. The ambulance hadn’t left yet. Fear lingered in the child’s eyes. Gently, she opened Katie’s hands and placed the kitten inside. Katie shifted her gaze. Her fingers moved, stroking the soft fur. A gentle “Purr, purr” was the response. “Purrsie,” the little girl whispered. The doctor sighed with relief. Valerie finally let her tears flow — it was safe now.
Katie clung to the little kitten. They spent the night at the hospital. By morning, they were sent home with the verdict: “The girl is lucky to be unharmed.”
“Kindness given returns kindness,” Valerie whispered.