All of a sudden, I screeched to a halt. Hands clutching the steering wheel, I took a deep breath, unbuckled my seatbelt, and left my car to investigate. I bent down and came face-to-face with a tabby cat in the middle of the road. At first the cat seemed to be fine. I backed up to persuade it to follow me out of the street, but it would not budge. I then noticed that the cat's left hind leg was in an unnatural position and that the cat wore a collar. The cat's name was Sebastian, and belonged to a person who lived close by. I decided to call the owner to receive consent before helping Sebastian. After several rings, someone picked up, denied the cat was his, and promptly hung up on me.
Not knowing exactly what to do, I called my friend Prathvin, whom I was supposed to meet before the cat fiasco occurred. He agreed to help, and biked over to offer his assistance. We decided we needed to move Sebastian out of the road to prevent an accident from occurring. Prathvin, being terrified of cats, awarded me the full responsibility of this mission. Acting carefully to avoid further injury to Sebastian, I carried him down the road to a friend's house to get supplies and plan our next step. Despite his injury, Sebastian purred while I carried him and clung to me like a small child. Although my friend was not home, her mom lent us her cat carrier and gave us directions to the Humane Society. Thanking her profusely, we set off to get Sebastian medical attention. This proved to be considerably harder than expected.
After missing the exit for the Humane Society, and hearing Sebastian object loudly throughout the car ride, we finally arrived, only to discover the Humane Society was closed. Refusing to accept this agonizing discovery, we fervently knocked at the door until a frazzled employee eventually answered. Rejecting our heart-wrenching story, he thrust a flyer for the Emergency Animal Hospital at us then slammed the door. Sebastian meowed plaintively and we knew we had to go.
My car clock now read 11:45pm. I was driving after curfew in an unfamiliar environment with an injured cat and a tired Prathvin. It seemed as if we would never make it to our final destination. We were lost, frustrated, and ready to give up. At long last the lights of the hospital appeared before us. A woman greeted us as we entered. She gave me a form, and said that by dropping Sebastian off, we relinquished all rights to him. Though I wanted to get Sebastian medical care, I had become attached to him. In the end I realized that they would be able to help Sebastian more than I could. I signed the form and looked at Sebastian for the last time.
Although I was not able to keep Sebastian or even find out if he survived, I know I made the right decision. I am proud of my dedication and perseverance despite the countless obstacles I faced that night. This experience illustrates my approach to difficult situations I encounter in the other aspects of my life. When I face a problem, I keep going until I find an appropriate solution and try my best to adapt that solution to benefit all those involved.
Not knowing exactly what to do, I called my friend Prathvin, whom I was supposed to meet before the cat fiasco occurred. He agreed to help, and biked over to offer his assistance. We decided we needed to move Sebastian out of the road to prevent an accident from occurring. Prathvin, being terrified of cats, awarded me the full responsibility of this mission. Acting carefully to avoid further injury to Sebastian, I carried him down the road to a friend's house to get supplies and plan our next step. Despite his injury, Sebastian purred while I carried him and clung to me like a small child. Although my friend was not home, her mom lent us her cat carrier and gave us directions to the Humane Society. Thanking her profusely, we set off to get Sebastian medical attention. This proved to be considerably harder than expected.
After missing the exit for the Humane Society, and hearing Sebastian object loudly throughout the car ride, we finally arrived, only to discover the Humane Society was closed. Refusing to accept this agonizing discovery, we fervently knocked at the door until a frazzled employee eventually answered. Rejecting our heart-wrenching story, he thrust a flyer for the Emergency Animal Hospital at us then slammed the door. Sebastian meowed plaintively and we knew we had to go.
My car clock now read 11:45pm. I was driving after curfew in an unfamiliar environment with an injured cat and a tired Prathvin. It seemed as if we would never make it to our final destination. We were lost, frustrated, and ready to give up. At long last the lights of the hospital appeared before us. A woman greeted us as we entered. She gave me a form, and said that by dropping Sebastian off, we relinquished all rights to him. Though I wanted to get Sebastian medical care, I had become attached to him. In the end I realized that they would be able to help Sebastian more than I could. I signed the form and looked at Sebastian for the last time.
Although I was not able to keep Sebastian or even find out if he survived, I know I made the right decision. I am proud of my dedication and perseverance despite the countless obstacles I faced that night. This experience illustrates my approach to difficult situations I encounter in the other aspects of my life. When I face a problem, I keep going until I find an appropriate solution and try my best to adapt that solution to benefit all those involved.