A Fire in my Heart

How will I or have I made my mark on the world? It already has started, and I didn't even realize it. I started working on my current place of work (a corporate pet store) 3 years ago. When I started this job, I had no idea what events would come that would lead me to where I am today. I only started working there because it was the first place to respond to my application and I needed a source of income, that was it. Not much more to it. But just a few months ago my store, which only really sells small animals such as hamsters, reptiles and fish, but hosts dog and cat adoptions on the weekend through rescue groups, just set up a new cat condo to be displayed in our store at all times with cats for adoptions through a local cat rescue group. Working at my job for 3 years with not many interactive animals to play with, I found the urge to play with the cats in between ringing customers up at the register hard to resist. Eventually one by one the cats in the condo house would get adopted and a new one would replace his or her place. That is all except for one cat, Sebastian. He was the first cat to be placed in the cat condo and after 2 months, he was still there. In the two months he remained in his 2 foot by2 foot cubicle, I formed a bond with him with my frequent visits and interactions between my breaks and working. Eventually, every time I place my hand on the outside of his cage, he would place his paw up against the outline of my hand on the inside of his cage . I would always try to persuade customers who showed even the slightest interest in him to fill out an application, but that never went very far until one day I received an application for him to give to the rescue group. The second I saw Sebastian's name on the top of that application, I new I had to do everything I could to get the rescue group not to select that person, but to select...me! The day after I submitted my application along with the other person's application and pleaded my case to the rescue group, that night I was sent home with Sebastian. I will never forget what he did the second I opened his carrier door. He walked out very slowly and confidently (which for a cat who has been in foster care his entire life, is a feat in its self) looked up at me and meowed in a warm content tone, then he laid down on his back nextto my feet (displaying feeling safe) and began to purr loudly. I believe he knew in his heart that this was his furrever home (pun intended). Today I am currently trying to organize my own rescue group to give cats like Sebastian their forever home. You might say that I made a mark in Sebastian's life, but he started a fire in my heart.