Back in early 2005, I was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY; waiting to get out of the Army for good. My unit was in another state on an extended Field Training Exercise, and I was left behind to start "clearing" the Army (the process of all the paperwork and a few classes needed to exit active duty). Now, what many don't know, is that most US bases have a problem with stray cats. One spouse will deploy, and the remaining partner will get a cat or kitten because they're lonely.
Then, the remaining spouse either loses interest, or their partner returns home, the end result being the same, they let their cat loose on the base because they don't want it anymore. Those cats then breed, and bam! Lots of stray cats on our bases. And that's what led to what came next. It was April, so the weather was starting to warm up, but not enough for the air conditioning in the barracks to be turned on.
So, I had the window in my room open to let cool air in. A buddy and I were just hanging out, bullshitting, when we heard a cries coming from outside. We went out to investigate, and found a tiny kitten in a storm drain. Either his mother had climbed in with her litter and he was left behind, or he fell there with the same result. He was tiny, he fit in the palm of my hand.
Long story short (too late, I know), it was decided that I would keep the kitten. I would be driving home, while my friend would be flying. It must have been between paychecks, because for the first week, all I fed him was spaghetti, peanut butter, and vitamin d milk. But, he survived! He lived with me in the barracks (which is 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 against the rules), until I left Fort Campbell around 2 months later. So this is Hobbes. The first 2 pictures are him in my helmet when he was around 2 months old, and the last picture was taken tonight. He's been with me almost every day since.
He'll be 17 in March.
