Lexi's Birthday

Yesterday, the 18th of April, was my sister's birthday.
Happy Birthday, Lex!
We didn't do much, seeing as we'll be actually celebrating on friday.
But there is one big thing that happened. I have to tell you in advance, it was not planned, and it is one hundred percent true.
So me and Lex are walking home from school.
Just as we get to the bottom of the steps, Mama yells, "Don't open the door."
We were wondering what was wrong when suddenly something moved, right by the door.
It was an orange cat, crusted through with muck, so thin you'd have thought it was anorexic.
But what really showed was how it was missing chucks of fur, and how there were wounds all over her hind legs.
We looked at each other and slowly took a step back.
We'd often see wild cats around, and were warned about tom cats, and how they might be vicious, rabid, diseased, or otherwise dangerous.
We panicked. "What do we do?" we whispered urgently to each other.
And then something special happened.
The cat looked right at us, and gave a soft, helpless miaow.
"Awww," we chorused.
It just won us over completely.
And we saw the cat with new eyes, saw it's condition with worried eyes.
We went into the house immediately, and spoke with the family.
It turned out that the cat had already won the others over, too.
Dad said that it was a very nice cat. She wanted nothing but to be your best friend.
So we were allowed to touch her, and give her food, and bring her to the garage.
Now she has a bed, a heat lamp, a litter box, food and water, and a loving home, depsite it being in the garage.
Later that day lex looked at me with tears in her eyes, and said, "this is the best birthday present ever."
How could we ever give her up now? She made Lex so happy, and it was great because it was her birthday too.
So the cat-- now dubbed 'Friendly'-- has become a part of the family, if only temporarily.
All in all, it was a happy day for her.