When I got home, I flopped on the couch and sat there for a moment, reflecting on how I was now, freshly single and alone in this apartment. My phone came to life on the coffee table in front of me.

"Hey girl, how’d it go?" Tiff texted. 

"Me and Devin broke up, but the food was good at least." I texted back. 

"What!?" Tiff texted. Before I could explain, there was a noise coming from the balcony. Something was tapping the glass. There's no way someone climbed up here. I'm on the fifth floor. 

Walking over to the balcony door, I opened the blinds. Low and behold, Whiskerton was sitting there licking his paw. I opened the balcony door to let him in. I kneeled down and scratched him on the neck. There go my plans for a mice circus. As I scratched his neck, maybe for the first time in a while I noticed his collar said 'Kevin' on it. "Oh, and Whiskerton is back." I texted Tiff.

I knew a cat named Kevin a long time ago. He was my ex’s cat, she’s the reason that I moved here to Germany. After what I did to her, the only thing I could think to do was to flee and start a new life. But this is not the same cat. My ex’s cat was all black, and Whiskerton was black and white.

"That's great news! But Kelly, tell me what happened tonight." Tiff responded.

"In a minute, I just have a quick question. Why does Whiskerton wear this collar, is Kevin the name the adoption center gave him?" 

"Adoption center? Whiskerton is a stray. He was wearing that collar when I found him sitting on a bench in a park. It was the strangest thing I’d ever seen; he looked like one of those old guys sitting on a bench looking at a lake. just deep in thought, remembering all the life that he lived. I sat next to him, and we stared at the lake for hours. I thought Kevin was such a weird name for a cat, so I spent all night trying to think of a new name for him. Then while I was dreaming, the name Whiskerton came to me! It makes him sound so professional! But more importantly, he came back, he really does love you after all!" 

“Oh my god Tiff, why did you not tell me sooner? I have to go,” I texted back.

I can't believe Tiff gave me a stray without telling me. That is absolutely disgusting. He’s been living with me for a whole two months! I need to get him checked to see if he's carrying any flees or other diseases. Oh my god, Whiskerton has slept in my bed! I need to get a new mattress!

I’ve been told by countless people that life is wonderful and amazing. Well, sometimes life just sucks.