The people who came to visit were always greeted by cats and kittens of various ages as they bounded and played in the front yard, carefully watched from a short distance away by the one we lovingly called "Mama Cat".

One day i noticed a kitten that was a bit different from the others. It didn't run and play, he just stayed curled up on the porch or lawn in a little ball and didnt move. Even as the others dashed all around taunting it, swatting at it beating it up.

I walked up to it very slowly so i wouldnt scare it away, but it remained still. Upon closer inspection i saw that the kitten was nothing but skin and bones and had its tail broken in two or three places. Being extremely careful i picked it up and dicovered that the kitten was a little boy. What seemed to be hundreds of fleas darted away from my fingers in all directions. His nose gums and the pads of his paws were bright white. Not a bit of color to them. He remained limp in my arms not making a sound. His pale green eyes meeting mine with a dull glazed over look.

I hurridly took him inside and showed him to grandma. she smiled at me nodding her head and told me she had noticed him outside for a few days now. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with some bologna for me to feed him as she told me more. There was a neighbor quite a ways down the road and across the field who would often toss kittens over his fence to fend for themselves. We figured this little one must have made that long journey and found his way to the front yard.

He looked to be about four to six weeks judging by his size. I continued feeding him bologna, (which was bigger than he was)he ate it eagerly. Although encouraged by his appitite, i was very concerned about the fleas and not sure what to do. I was very wary of using flea powders or shampoo because of his age and weakened state. But unable to come up with any other ideas, I finaly relented and headed to walmart. I looked around and found some waterless flea shampoo that i figured would be best, and quickly grabbed it along with a few cans of canned kitten food.

When i got back home, i wandered to find the kitten. I found him curled up in a little ball concealed in a small patch of shade trying to escape the scortching heat of the mid-day sun. I scooped him up gently and carried him to the front yard. Holding him in my lap. my hands shook nervously as I carefully rubbed the watery flea solution all over his small very frail body. When i was through i inspected him carefully. The shampoo was working. The fleas that were ravaging his body hungrily seeping life from him were now dead.

He slowly began to improve each day, his once white nose was now tinted a very light shade of pink. Watching him eat his bologna, i realized that he needed more help then i could offer him with my very limited means. Soon it would be time for me to leave grandma's house and go home. I decided that although it was very very risky for us both, i was going to take him with me and get him the help that he so despereately needed.

It was a seven hour trip home. by train then shuttle bus. Thoughts swirled through my mind as i tried to plan things just right. Any animal other than service animals for the disabled were not allowed in buses or trains. If caught i could be kicked off of either the bus or train at any point along the way.

I had an extra large backpack with me where i had my snacks for the trip. I came up with an idea to pin a shirt along the inside of the backpack to double as a source of warmth and a sheild against any little scratching noises. Grandma was worried about me getting caught but she supported my decision, gave me her blessing and brought me some small pins. when finished i carefully placed the kitten inside and zipped the bag closed. He wriggled some and have a weak raspy meow.

The next day, when i went to find the kitten in the yard, I found him in his usual little ball. I called to him and not a twitch. I feared the worst. I picked him up and shook him slightly. He looked up at me, eyes half open, and meowed. Expressing his obvious displeasure in my disturbing his sleep. I beamed with delight and carried him inside as i prepared to leave.

On the way to the station, we stopped and picked up some baby tylenol. I thought that besides keeping him sleepy and quiet, that it may help him feel better. When we got there i called my vet and explained my situation to them. They told me to bring him in. After i hung up with them, i hid with the kitten untill it was about time for the train to arrive.I boarded and looked around, the car was empty. I placed him under the table, gave the conductor my ticket and relaxed as the soothing rhythm and slight sway of the train lulled me to sleep. The screeching of the brakes as the train came to a stop jolted me awake. I checked on the kitten as i prepared to transfer, he winced at the bright daylight and just looked at me. I smiled and closed the bag again as i boarded the shuttle bus for the final leg of our journey.

I was much more attentive during this part of the trip the bus was very crowded,and i had a much better chance of being caught.We still had about four hours before we reached the station. I said a small prayer as we pulled out of the parking lot that we would make it safely. A few hours later as we rounded the final corner, i saw the familiar brick building, and breathed a sigh of relief. We were home.

I quickly got off of the bus and called my mom to come pick us up. When we got home i showed her my little stow away. She was shocked at the sight of him and gasped. She noticed something i hadnt, he had really big paws. (we were soon to find out that he had been much closer to five months old) I called the vet to make him an appointment, the soonest i could bring him is was the following saturday, and that was still two days away. Till then i fed him as much as he would eat, and made a place to sleep in our tiny 1/2 bathroom. The next day, when i went downstairs to check on him, i found him curled up and sound asleep in the sink.

At last Saturday arrived and we headed off to the vet. As i filled out the needed forms with the receptionist, she glanced down to peek at the tightly wrapped receiving blanket in my lap. She squinted and strained to see the small furry bundle, and just had to come around to my side of the counter for a better look. As i unwrapped him for her to see, she smiled then called to the back for somone to pick him up. The door opened, the barely glanced at him and rushed him away from me to begin his assesment and treatment as quickly as possible.

I passed the time as i usualy did going through petsmart looking at all the animals and supplies. It helped to keep me calm as i anxiously awaited an update.

After what seemed like many hours, an assistant came out to update me. His look and voice were solemn and i could see the sadness in his eyes. I was expecting the worst. He told me that they had the kitten on fluids. He was severely anemic and also had a very bad respirtory infection and they were unsure if he was going to make it. He then asked me if i was going to keep him because he was going to require rather costly treatment. Up untill this point i had not considered the idea of keeping the kitten. I was going to help him get better and give him up to be adopted. After hearing the extent of care he would need, i was unsure if any of the adoption staff or his potential new owners would want to spend the time it would take to get him healthy, so i decided to keep him. They asked me his name, his medical records thus far, read kitty, in the upper left corner. My mind drifted to my first few moments with him. I would hold him in my arms and he would go limp and fall asleep every time. I looked to the receptionist and replied, "His name, is Baby Sleepy."

A few hours later i looked out the shiney glass doors of the store to see the pinkish purple hue of the setting sun.
I then glanced back to the doors which led to the treatment rooms, and settled down next to the bench to watch the fish swimming in a nearby aquarium.

i heard the sounds of the door to the back rooms opening. The assistant who had briefed me earlier had returned, his mood had very much changed. He wore a bright smile and had a small spring in his step as he came over to talk to me.
He told me that he was very pleased with my boy's progress. His color was much better and he was inhaling the food they offered him. Soon he would be ready to go home. I filled out his check out forms and paid for his medicine as they got him ready to head home.

I put the boy in his tiny bathroom and closed the door to let him rest. As I opened the bag of medication we had brought home, Gidget watched me from the top of the stairs, with a look of what could be mistaken for concern. She was not at all pleased with me about this new addition to the family which was now taking all of my time and attention. I kept them seperated because the boy was so weak. I hoped as he grew stronger, they would bond and become friends.

Treatment for the boy consisted of four different medications several times a day. Two were vitamin suppliments and the other two were antibiotics. He was knocked down one more time and had to stay in the hospital for his first time overnight. When i went into the room the next day to visit him, he screamed so loud, that everyone in the room paused for a second to look at us and smiled watching the reunion.

Went i brought him home later that evening, Gidget at first pretended to be uninterested, but i knew better. She had spent the entire night before meowing for him and playing by herself running up and down the stairs. (The game they always played together.)

As his personality has developed over the years I started calling him "little boy" or "the boy" because he doesnt respond to baby sleepy(hewould look at me with a, "who the heck is that?" expression. He responds to boy. and i have at last selled on calling him, Baby Boy. My boy is strong and healthy now. But he lives up to his name, hes very loving, affectionate and full of mischief. To this very day he loves any type of backpack or luggage. An experience which i thought would surely traumatize him and cause him to avoid such things, seems to have had the oppisite result. He immediately tries to jump inside and settles down. (I've been told it may remind him of being in the womb and be comforting) He also loves to be spoiled No matter how much he grows in size, or how many years go by, he will forever be my baby boy.