He was everything I wanted and so much more.

After I landed in California, I moved to the beach. My roommate had a dog named Kahlua.

Kahlua was my roommate’s ride or die. They had a bond that was so in sync as if they belonged together.  

I grew up with family pets but never had one of my own. An experience I wanted to have. However, a dog felt like too much responsibility, especially for someone as independent as I am. A cat felt much more feasible. 

After a day at the beach, Kahlua, my roommate, and I walked home. I glanced at my roommate and said the magic words: 

While my heart was in it, my actions were not. I never went to a pet shop, inquired with local vets, or checked any animal shelters. 

My company had an open floor plan. Cubicles were in cube sets of four. The walls were only three feet high, so all the workers were in plain view. 

Three other coworkers sat about 3-4 feet from me. That meant when I looked up from my desk, they were all right there! 

Working near others is a feeding ground for distraction. Therefore, my coworkers and I were trained to “go under” to ensure optimal productivity.  

This militant Mr. Miyagi practice shifts the focus from an outward state to an inward one.

Invisible mental walls direct all attention to the task at hand. External stimuli that may affect sight or sound are blocked. This mindset may be practiced whether performing an analytical, creative, or even physical task. 

Sometimes I fall into this trance in the funniest of places, from dinner parties to my laundry room to the gym. I just disappear in concentration. 

So, when my neighboring coworker, Fred, got a phone call, it took several minutes before I realized he was in distress. 

Fred was anxiety-prone. Born a technology snob, a beer connoisseur, and an engineer on Dilbert, he was a high-strung man of reason. The littlest things, especially standard operating procedures NOT based on logic, made him nuts. Fred was also a fan of practical jokes. 

Sidebar!

I looked up from my work and saw Fred holding his head. This didn’t look like his usual “where is the logic” kind of stress, but something else. 

“Are you okay, Fred?” I asked. 

Our other coworker, Sarah, stopped working. Sarah was the rock in our group. She was grounded and intuitive yet carried the sweet spirit of Elle Woods. 

“Uuuugh, it’s my wife. She found a kitten at work. Apparently, this cat was abandoned in the parking lot.”  

At that moment, I knew two things. One, regardless of its gender or color, that cat was mine. No matter what. Two, knowing that I was committed sight unseen, I couldn’t share this with Fred. Where’s the fun in that? 

“You don’t want it?” I asked. 

Fred sat back and closed his eyes. He let out a deep breath that only a stress ball can produce.  

“NOOOOO! We already have two cats, two dogs, and two teenage girls. We are at FULL CAPACITY in that house!” Fred directed his panic to his computer screen. 

“Out of curiosity, is it a black boy cat with green eyes?” I asked.  

Sarah gave a warm smile. Her intuition already knew I was prepared to adopt the cat. 

“I don’t know!” Fred yelped as he continued to frown at his laptop. 

“Cause I’m looking for a black boy cat with green eyes.” 

Fred let out a loud sigh. As if to communicate he, heard me but lacked the necessary “data.” This was gonna be fun! 

An hour later, Fred found me in the service room. Fred’s disposition went from distress to one of hope. 

“Hey, Beth! I talked to my wife. That cat is black!”  

“No kidding,” I said pleasantly and focused on my clipboard. “Is it a boy?” 

“What?” the optimism vanished from Fred’s eyes. 

“And does it have green eyes?”  

“I DON’T KNOW!” 

“Ah, well. If it’s not a boy and doesn’t have green eyes,” I shook my head no. 

Fred stormed out of the service room. Sarah and I met for lunch.

“You’re planning to adopt that cat, aren’t you?” she asked. 

“Yes, but don’t tell Fred,” I smirked.  

“He’s ready to have a heart attack,” she said.  

“Well, let’s see him on the ground first,” I laughed.

“You’re so mean!” she shook her head in disgust. 

After lunch, Fred approached me once more at our cube desks. Sarah was readily alert.  

“OKAY! BETH! I talked to my wife again. The cat is black, and it’s definitely a BOY! Will you PUH-LEEEEASE TAKE HIM?”

“Where are we at with the eyes?” I asked as Fred practically fell to his knees. 

“WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?!?!?!” Fred gasped.  

“Have you ever seen a black cat with yellow eyes? They’re kinda scary looking. Green eyes are way cuter.” 

The color disappeared from Fred’s cheeks. 

“Tell him!” Sarah directed. 

“Oh, fine! Yes! Of course, I’ll take the cat.” 

“Ahhhh!” Fred’s head hit his desk with pure relief. Like it was the first time he breathed all day. 

It was a Friday. We agreed that his wife would drop off the cat on Monday evening, after work. 

Come Monday, Fred’s “Nervous Nelly” disposition was long gone and had been replaced “Melancholy Mindy.” 

“You’re lucky we made the agreement on Friday. Had you not agreed to take him, we would keep him. He’s a wonderful cat,” Fred said. 

“Thank you for letting me still have him. I’m excited to meet him.” 

“Well, don’t get too attached. I’m still his Godfather,” Fred drew a line in the sand.

“Fair enough,” I agreed. 

That afternoon, Fred’s wife and daughter brought a little black boy cat to the office. He looked up at me from the box carrier. I’ll never forget the first time I looked into those beautiful green eyes. I couldn’t believe it. He was what I wanted. My little spirit animal. 

“Hello, Onyx,” I whispered. 

I wish I could say the moment was beautiful. That he received me, in the same loving manner, I received him. Hardly. 

Onyx freaked like he had been drinking Monster Energy all morning. He leaped out of the box like an acrobat and sprinted underneath my SUV. The next thing I knew, he maneuvered his way inside the car engine! 

Stay tuned for the next installment, “Requiem for Onyx Part 2: The Great Outdoors”

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