Wiping sweat from my forehead, I took a step back to admire my work. The cat house was finally complete, and I couldn’t wait for my fuzzy buddies to enjoy it. There was just one final detail I still needed to add.

It was a very snowy day, depressing and bleak, when we had our first fateful encounter. His name was Jacob, and he wore a long, black coat which contrasted strikingly against the otherwise white world around us. I asked him what he was doing out in such a terrible storm.