One Small Boy

Today I met an angel. He is 4-yrs. old and he and his family are from San Diego and on their Christmas vacation. Last week Eric heard about the plight of animals in New Orleans and told his parents that is where they needed to go. So they listened to their son and cancelled the family ski trip to Aspen.

I walked into the warehouse wearing my boyfriend's shirt, his son's pants, and knee-high waders. I was thoroughly soaked from the torrents of rain coming down and likely looked a fright.

I looked into the father's eyes and thanked him. He told me they had worked on feeding stations and cleaning during their week. A far cry from a 5-star ski resort, I'm sure. As he looked at me he said, "It was like........" and his eyes drifted up and into space. When they came back to me they were full of tears along with mine. He realized he didn't need to say it, I understood. And I didn't need to explain, he already knew.

Marie & Phoebe, two tabby kittens, went with them.

Wherever they stayed down here wasn't a 5-star hotel, the people in their company weren't the ultrarich, and the kids didn't get a chance to see snow this year. But I bet they all remember this far more than they will any ski trip.