“One Year Ago Today”

The stories of a puppy, a cat, a dog and a kitten, in New Orleans on August 29, 2005

One year ago today I was part of a family
I was loved, I was petted, I had food and drink when I wanted.

One year ago today I was happy
I loved my people – they took care of me

They would never leave me
I caught mice and I purred and I slept on the bed.

One year ago today I was chained in a yard
No shelter from the rain or sun.

Shouted at, beaten, scraps of food and stale water
My only company was my brother, who was treated the same way

One year ago today I was playful and free
Young and small, no cares,
Chasing butterflies, not yet big enough for mice.

I was taken for rides, given treats, shown off to others
One year ago today my tail wagged often.

I was pampered, brushed, fussed over,
I got saucers of milk, food from a can,
One year ago today they scratched my head when I rubbed their legs.

Teased, tormented, made to fight and bite
Never petted, never praised –
One year ago today I was nothing but a dog.

My mother still washed me.
We lived under a porch,
Sometimes the people in the house would pet me.
I liked that.
One year ago today a little girl played with me.

One year ago today the wind blew, the rain came,
And then the water was everywhere.
I heard them say leave, but they would not leave me.
One year ago today my people stayed and they died.

One year ago today my people fled
They left me some food, they left me some water
They closed me in the bathroom and said they would come back in a few days.

One year ago today I was left on my chain
They fled, they left me
Alone, no food, no water
And the waters rose around my brother and me.

One year ago today the waters rushed in
Our little house was crushed
My people fled, I tried, I could not keep up
I was left alone in the flood.

One year ago today the water rose and filled our house
The house I was used to, running through the rooms,
Sleeping on the rug
We tried to stay above it.
I swam and swam and climbed into a cupboard.
My people could not. I could see them in the water.
They could no longer see me.

One year ago today the water came.
It filled every room.
It filled the room I was locked in, but I climbed and clung to the walls.
The water went down and I waited.
My people did not come back.
My food and water were gone, rancid
My people did not come back.

One year ago today the water rushed into our yard.
I jumped to the top of a pile of trash
My brother had no where to go.
I watched him struggle, I watched him try
I watched him drown, I watched him die.

One year ago today I was suddenly alone
Racing from the water that was everywhere.
I ran, I climbed, I swam, I jumped
I found a place above it and I cried for my family
No one was there to answer me.

The water went down
I do not know how long it took.
I went to my people and licked them and nuzzled them but they did not answer me.

The water went down
I meowed, I yowled,
I was hungry, I was thirsty.
They did not come back.

The water went down.
My brother lay in the yard.
I howled for him.

The water went down.
I was back on the ground
Searching for my people, my mother,
Searching for food and drink.

Many days passed
I was hungry, I was thirsty.
I whimpered and barked
I heard voices and barked louder.
“Listen”, the voices said, “A dog!”

Many days passed.
I was getting thin and weak.
I heard voices and mewed as loud as I could
It was not very loud and the voices went away.

Many days passed.
No one came near my yard.
I saw things in the air, I heard things on the streets.
I was so tired, so hungry, so thirsty.

Many days passed.
I walked the streets, went into houses.
There was no food.
I chased bugs and moths and birds and mice.
I drank ugly water.
I lived on the streets.
I was young and small.

The door crashed in and people filled our house.
I was afraid.
“Oh, no”, one voice said. “The people stayed.”
“Come here, little guy”, another voice said.
Hands reached and touched me and I whimpered.
“It’s all right. You are safe now”, the voices said.

I heard them again!
I meowed as loudly as I could
I was so hungry and thirsty.
“Listen!” A voice said, “A cat.”
I heard noise in the house, and meowed again.
The door crashed in and a person came into the bathroom.
“Well, hello, pretty girl,” she said. “Come with us. You are safe now.”

I saw people!
I barked.
I had been trained to bark at people, to frighten them away.
These people did not go.
They talked to me.
“It’s all right, big guy,” they said. “You can trust us. We’re here to help you.”
I let them come close, let them touch me, let them cut the big chain and lead me away.
“You are safe now,” they said.

I heard voices and saw people.
The other cats ran.
“Look”, the people said, “a kitten.”
I let them pick me up.
“You are safe now”, they said.

I was in a cage in a car, then in a cage in a tent.
I got a bath and food and petting.
I cried out in my sleep.
I was put into a pen, near other dogs.
People walked me and talked to me.
I was put in a cage on a big bus and taken far away.
More people came and looked at me.
“What is this puppy’s story?” they asked.
“His people stayed with him and did not make it”, they were told.
“We will be his new people.”

I was put in a cage in a car and then a cage in a house.
People fed me and petted me and gave me treats.
More people came and put me in another cage and into a van and I rode a long ways.
Someone took my cage and said “You can come with me.”

I was put in a cage in a car and then a cage in a tent.
I got a bath. I never had one before.
I got petted. I never did before.
I was walked and talked to. I never was before.
I was put in a cage in a van and then in a cage in an airplane, and then a cage in a car again.
I was let out in a place with no chains.
There are trees and high mountains, and soon after I got here something cold and white and fluffy fell from the sky and covered the ground.
It did not rise as high as the water had. I ran through it and the people laughed and said “You are home now.”

I was put in a cage in a car and then a cage in a house.
I got food and water and I felt better.
I reached out to everyone who passed my cage to pet me
When they did I felt better.
I was put in another cage, in another car and rode for two days.
At the end of the ride, someone carried me into a house and said
“Now you are home.”

One year ago today the life that I knew changed forever.
My new life is good.
I miss my first people.

One year ago today the life that I knew changed forever.
My new life is good.
I miss my first people.

One year ago today the life that I knew changed forever.
My new life is good.
I never knew I could be more than just a dog.

One year ago today the life that I knew changed forever.
My new life is good.
I like it here.

One year ago today the life that I knew changed forever.
It brought this sweet animal to me.

BP, August 2006
In memory of them all