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A Snowball of Kindness

Three weeks ago, a friend of a friend emailed me looking for help in relocating three ferals to his new home. The next day, Howell was outfitted with traps, cages and SCA’s failsafe instructions on how to manage this operation.
e quickly trapped two and brought them to the new place. After four attempts, though, the third cat still evaded capture. On day #5, Howell again set the trap and went home to do a couple of chores. As he headed back out his front door to check on the trap, he nearly bumped into his former neighbor, Sam, who proudly held up the third trapped feral.  
“You got ’im, Howell!”
“Sam the Man! Thanks for driving him over!n, all three ferals were living in Howell’s garage, at first safely in the cages, then free-roaming inside until it was obvious that they were acclimated at their new digs.  
There was another hurdle to clear, however: The new next door neighbors’ Pit Bulls sometimes frolicked off-leash in their front yard, and there was a hole in the chain link fence dividing the two properties. Howell knew his garage kitties would soon want the freedom to bask in the sun, and he had to make sure they’d be safe to do so
 
The new neighbors had come by to introduce themselves to Howell days earlier, and they’d admired the shrubs he was planting. So he struck a deal: He’d help the neighbors plant the same bushes in their yard if they’d fix the fence.
 In fact, he’d help with that as well. If good fences make good neighbors, then good neighbors can also help make good fences.
A few days ago, Howell returned the kitty containing accoutrements. He was beaming. It had been a nice progression of kind acts, I thought, and I was sort of sorry to see it end.
Yesterday the phone rang. It was Howell. A mother squirrel had perished in the road, leaving two babies in need. Did I have any suggestions? I gave him the number of Valley Wildlife Care, and the squirrels, too, are now in good hands.
Sometimes kindness just keeps on rolling along, like a big ol’ snowball, attracting more kindness as it goes.
A SNOWBALL OF KINDNESS
Three weeks ago, a friend of a friend emailed me looking for help in relocating three ferals to his new home. The next day, Howell was outfitted with traps, cages and SCA’s failsafe instructions on how to manage this operation.
He quickly trapped two and brought them to the new place. After four attempts, though, the third cat still evaded capture. On day #5, Howell again set the trap and went home to do a couple of chores. As he headed back out his front door to check on the trap, he nearly bumped into his former neighbor, Sam, who proudly held up the third trapped feral.  
“You got ’im, Howell!”  
“Sam the Man! Thanks for driving him over!”
Soon, all three ferals were living in Howell’s garage, at first safely in the cages, then free-roaming inside until it was obvious that they were acclimated at their new digs.  
There was another hurdle to clear, however: The new next door neighbors’ Pit Bulls sometimes frolicked off-leash in their front yard, and there was a hole in the chain link fence dividing the two properties. Howell knew his garage kitties would soon want the freedom to bask in the sun, and he had to make sure they’d be safe to do so.
 
The new neighbors had come by to introduce themselves to Howell days earlier, and they’d admired the shrubs he was planting. So he struck a deal: He’d help the neighbors plant the same bushes in their yard if they’d fix the fence.
 In fact, he’d help with that as well. If good fences make good neighbors, then good neighbors can also help make good fences.
A few days ago, Howell returned the kitty containing accoutrements. He was beaming. It had been a nice progression of kind acts, I thought, and I was sort of sorry to see it end.
Yesterday the phone rang. It was Howell. A mother squirrel had perished in the road, leaving two babies in need. Did I have any suggestions? I gave him the number of Valley Wildlife Care, and the squirrels, too, are now in good hands.
Sometimes kindness just keeps on rolling along, like a big ol’ snowball, attracting more kindness as it goes.

Three weeks ago, a friend of a friend emailed me looking for help in relocating three ferals to his new home. The next day, Howell was outfitted with traps, cages and SCA’s failsafe instructions on how to manage this operation.

He quickly trapped two and brought them to the new place. After four attempts, though, the third cat still evaded capture. On day #5, Howell again set the trap and went home to do a couple of chores. As he headed back out his front door to check on the trap, he nearly bumped into his former neighbor, Sam, who proudly held up the third trapped feral.  

“You got ’im, Howell!”  

“Sam the Man! Thanks for driving him over!”

Soon, all three ferals were living in Howell’s garage, at first safely in the cages, then free-roaming inside until it was obvious that they were acclimated at their new digs.  

There was another hurdle to clear, however: The new next door neighbors’ Pit Bulls sometimes frolicked off-leash in their front yard, and there was a hole in the chain link fence dividing the two properties. Howell knew his garage kitties would soon want the freedom to bask in the sun, and he had to make sure they’d be safe to do so.

The new neighbors had come by to introduce themselves to Howell days earlier, and they’d admired the shrubs he was planting. So he struck a deal: He’d help the neighbors plant the same bushes in their yard if they’d fix the fence.

 In fact, he’d help with that as well. If good fences make good neighbors, then good neighbors can also help make good fences.

A few days ago, Howell returned the kitty containing accoutrements. He was beaming. It had been a nice progression of kind acts, I thought, and I was sort of sorry to see it end.

Yesterday the phone rang. It was Howell. A mother squirrel had perished in the road, leaving two babies in need. Did I have any suggestions? I gave him the number of Valley Wildlife Care, and the squirrels, too, are now in good hands.

Sometimes kindness just keeps on rolling along, like a big ol’ snowball, attracting more kindness as it goes.

 


 
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