Our Christmas Surprise

Pets, which contain a wide variety of species, connote different things to each individual owner. Some perceive them as added family members and some, typically children, view them as playmates. In most cases, adults value animals, as they do their own children, by purchasing them toys and giving them treats when they accomplish things. Pets have the tendency to become spoiled when given excessive amounts of unnecessary gifts, as do humans. In today’s society, there are pet parlors, spas, and shopping centers for animals. These types of things may seem absurd to many, but they are now average daily routines for several pet owners. On the other end of the spectrum, there are many creatures roaming the earth without owners or anyone to care for them. Typically, they are ravenous, emaciated, wounded, and flea-infested. More often than not, these animals are looked down upon and not wanted anywhere near homes. Because they were not exposed to any type of love from a human, these animals see humans as enemies. Their curiosity of discovering the life of a human may leave them permanently in the ground or, in a more notable sense, in the home of a warm-hearted family. My suprises kitten, Elfy, has taught me that with only a small amount of love and affection, an animal can become much more than a pet.

There were two days until Christmas, and there was one gift left to purchase for my younger sister, Tina. She had wanted a new kitten ever since our last kitten had tragically died. My brother was playing outside in our woods when he noticed something bustling around throughout the brush. He searched around gallantly, but found nothing in the entire acre of snow-covered land. While taking his shoes off on the porch, he turned around to discover that a kitten had followed him home. He was sure that the kitten was the mystery he had been searching for in the woods. Being that my brother was very young, he saw no problem with allowing the unfamiliar kitten to enter our home. During this time, I had been upstairs in my bedroom, but I dashed down the stairs when I heard my mother scream. To my surprise, there was a kitten in my mother’s arms at the bottom of the stairs. Shockingly, my mother said that we were allowed to keep the kitten and present it to Tina for Christmas. Thankfully, Tina was not home during this time; therefore, we were able to keep it a surprise. I had never been extremely enthusiastic about animals due to a horrific past experience, but this kitten seemed so innocent and helpless. I have always felt an inner-responsibility towards helping others, and I knew that it was my duty to nurse this kitten back to good health. We began with feeding the kitten some tuna and water. The kitten was so small that it fit perfectly in the palm of my hand. We then attempted to give it a bath, which was not an easy experience. With a pair of rubber gloves covering my hands, I struggled to pick off as many of the hundreds of fleas on its body as I possibly could. My heart broke as the kitten wailed and shivered in the palm of my hand. I was able to confine the kitten to my bedroom for the first night, without my sister suspecting anything curious. I took it to the vet the next morning, which was an awful experience. Because this had most likely been its first car ride, the kitten was obviously frightened and made a mess of its bodily wastes throughout my car. I was worried that the veterinarian was going to force the kitten to stay in the hospital for the night, but after receiving his shots, he was free to leave. I took him home, for yet another night of confinement in my bedroom. Amazingly, I had provided this kitten with a second chance for a new life.

It was Christmas morning and we had finished opening our gifts. My brother and I had decided to name the kitten Elfy, because we considered him to be our Christmas surprise. I had created a bed for him out of a box and a blanket, which I decorated very nicely. I told Tina that we had a surprise for her and went upstairs to retrieve her gift. She had her eyes closed and was in complete query of what her present could possibly be. Luckily, Elfy was a very quiet kitten, and I was able to make it into the living room with him not making a sound. I laid the kitten on Tina’s lap, with her eyes still closed. When she opened her eyes, she immediately burst into tears. It had been a very long time since I had seen her as truly happy as she was in that moment. She loved the name that we had chosen for him, but she was not satisfied with our sleeping apparatus that we had created. I had grown to love the Elfy in the few days I had spent with him; therefore, I decided to buy him a real bed. I spent my entire Christmas break catering to the kitten and teaching him new things. Elfy plumped up quite quickly; he had eaten much more than any other animal we had prior to him. His fur became a brown and black fluffy mixture and his paws are pure white. He became more to me than simply a pet, but rather like another person to care for. Elfy grew into a healthy, affable cat that everyone would be blessed to have in their lives. Although he came into my life as a surprise, Elfy will leave as one of my best friends.

At first, the thought of another kitten was not very appealing to me. But after realizing the severity of his situation, I was compelled to save him. Elfy allowed me to complete things that I would have never normally thought to do. He taught me, without saying a single word, that with love and affection one has the opportunity to feel complete. Material things don’t last forever, but feelings can. Elfy’s life drastically changed when he showed up on our doorstep that frosty, winter morning, but he changed my life even more.

"Our Christmas Surprise"5 (photo taken by Caitlin King)

Little Scottdale, Big Impact

It is said that childhood memories last a lifetime. Childhood is best described as worry free and full of excitement. There is one crucial part of a child’s life that many tend to look past though. This vital part of a child’s life is where he or she grew up. This not only includes their physical home environment, but also their surrounding regions. I was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, but moved to Pennsylvania when I was quite young. We resided in the very small town of Scottdale, merely forty-five minutes south of Pittsburgh. Scottdale, a town unfamiliar to many, has been my home for nearly sixteen years. Scottdale is known for being home to the historical H.C. Frick Coke Company, several centuries ago, which we learned a great deal about in school. There are numerous aged Victorian-era mansions throughout the town, all dating back from the eighteen hundreds. There are also many new buildings throughout the area, such as the brand new library and Elementary School. Scottdale may not be a town of great historical importance to the rest of the United States, but it was of great significance to my childhood. Without being brought up in a small environment, I would have never been able to mature into the individual that I am today. Being able to make my own decisions as a child has allowed me to become a very independent and established adult.

Scottdale is a very small, close-knit community, consisting of nearly forty-five hundred residents. Because our town is so small, it is quite typical to smile and wave at familiar faces everywhere one may go. Scottdale is also a very friendly town. It provides a warm and inviting atmosphere to visitors, and it is a place that I am proud to call home. Having lived in three different homes in Scottdale, I have personally experienced the welcoming attitudes for new residents of the community. The second home in which I resided in was located directly in the middle of the town. The street was full of young children, which was quite shocking to me at first being that I came from a home surrounded by only two other children. Within days after our move-in, our new neighbors came to introduce themselves to us and asked if we wanted to play with them. One of these children grew to become my best friend, and we are still best friends to this day. This sense of welcoming and kindness was instilled in me at a very young age. Living in Scottdale has allowed me to become a much more amiable and outgoing individual. I am able to make new friends quite easily, which is something that many people struggle with. I am not afraid to show others who I truly am, even if there may be a question of acceptance. For example, I came to Washington and Jefferson College knowing only two people from my hometown. In a matter of three weeks, I have gained almost the same number of friends that I had in high school. This personality trait will also allow me to do extremely well in the career that I am currently trying to pursue: an international businesswoman/accountant. Many people believe that accountants are stuck in an office all day, but this is not always true. It will be necessary for me to make others feel as though they are wanted, which is a trait that comes naturally to me now. I plan to use my skills in order to portray the values of American businesses while attending meetings in foreign countries. My welcoming and outgoing personality will allow me to do extremely well in my future endeavors. While being a resident of Scottdale, I have learned to chase my dreams but to remain my true self in the process.

Growing up in a small community gave me a feeling of always being safe. This sense of protection allowed me to be an adventurous and independent child. My sister and I, along with our neighborhood friends, were very active children. We enjoyed being outside, searching for new adventures. We enjoyed riding our bikes around town, which was permitted because our parents knew we were safe. There are no busy highways near our town, unlike those surrounding large cities, for our parents to have worried about us riding past. Loucks Park, located in the middle of the town, is a popular place to go during the summer months. There is a softball field, basketball and tennis courts, a water sprinkler, several jungle gyms, an enormous slide, a pavilion, and a concession stand that is open during certain events. Every summer day around noon, our neighborhood crew would ride our bikes to Loucks Park for the free school lunch. Our parents enjoyed this even more than we did because they did not have to prepare lunch, and we could stay at the park and play for hours. The park was known for being one of the safest parts of the town. Along with this sense of protection was the independence and freedom that we enjoyed as children because we were able to roam freely around the town. We were on our own for majority of our time, which prepared us for letting go of our parents as teenagers. We did not lean on our parents for everything, and we were able to make our own conscious decisions. I learned responsibility at an early age, which allowed me to move towards independence sooner. I was able to adjust quite easily into the college experience because I was not entirely dependent on my parents. Scottdale has truly aided in my growth towards becoming a fully independent woman.

Scottdale is a very family-oriented and laid back community. Yes, many people live hectic lives, but the majority of the residents never forget the importance of family. Growing up in a rural, country atmosphere, rather than a bustling city, has taught me to be patient. Although patience is such an important character trait, many Americans struggle in this area. Lack of patience can result in anger and rage, which is more evident in larger cities. Scottdale has its fair share of crimes, but the crime rate is not nearly as high as in other cities. Patience is a character trait that many strive for but are not able to achieve. I take much pride in being able to control myself in hectic settings, which I am only able to do because of what Scottdale has taught me. Along with achieving patience comes balancing a busy schedule with a family. The demand of family life with a career may be stressful, but it is something that Scottdale has proved to be entirely possible. The importance of family was invested in me at a very young age. Quality time with family can be accomplished in a variety of different ways. My family, in particular, made it a goal to eat dinner together at home as much as possible. My mother is an extraordinary baker, and she always made our favorite desserts. She put her heart and pure love into every meal, which was greatly appreciated by our entire family. This was time for my family to talk to each other about the events taking place in our individual lives. Being around my family so often has taught me the importance of caring for and loving one another. In today’s society, it is quite easy to forget about the value of family. Scottdale has provided me with skills to remain patient in a busy world, while also remembering the importance of family. For instance, although my life schedule is packed-full with school, homework, and a job, I never forget to let my family know how much I truly care about them. Every week, I pick a family member to write a letter to. This does not have to be composed as a long letter, though; it is sometimes only a few sentences. It only takes up a few minutes of my time, and the blissful reactions from my family make it worth every minute. It is easy to fall under the pressures of everyday life, but Scottdale has provided me with the knowledge to overcome these difficult endeavors.

Overall, living in Scottdale has been as much of an influence in my life as my parents have. I have inherited the beliefs and virtues that are standard among our community members. I have grown into an independent, free-spirited individual. The relationship with many of my other community members has allowed me to become a more diverse and complex human being. I am going to be able to use the skills that I learned as a child in order to make a better future for myself. I know that I will always have a special place in my heart to call home, no matter what the circumstances may be. The endearing childhood memories of growing up in a sheltering community have helped define who I am today and who I may become tomorrow.

Our Journey to Raleigh

My sister, Tina, and I decided it was time to take a journey to our father’s hometown in North Carolina. Raleigh, the city our hearts were searching for, seemed to be surreal, as though it was a picture out of a magazine. Flustered crowds of people wandered the sidewalks and I began to wonder if they ever stopped to take a breath of fresh air. The skyline faded away in some parts of the town due to the rows of skyscrapers that occupy the city. Splashes from the countless number of swimming pools somewhat overpowered the sound of the highway traffic, while they also left the stench of chlorine to fill the air. Much of the nature in the town has been destroyed as a result of the never-ending road construction. It is a city of many people, of all different races and ethnicities. But above all the physical aspects of the city lies a much deeper meaning. Our father’s past, which has been a mystery to us for the majority of our childhood, had finally begun to make sense. The need to be powerful had been bestowed in him at a very young age. Our father had been our protector in the only way he knew how, though we could never understand why: until now. Raleigh, North Carolina, is not only a gorgeous city, but it is a city that holds a very sentimental meaning in both of our lives because it allowed us to realize why our father lives his life in order to protect his children.


Tina and I set out on our journey in the summer of 2007, a voyage which lasted eight days. Although this city may not have provided us with answers to all of our questions, we believed it was a crucial part to a better understanding of our father. Our father is a man of great prestige, but he is well-known for his quiet tongue. He does not talk much about his past, but we do know that is hasn't always been pleasant. His father passed away when he was eight years old, which left the entire family heartbroken. My father had been closest with his father; therefore, when he heard the news of his father’s death, it was as though a piece of his heart had been ripped out. But it was his stepfather, the man I called grandfather, who brought the light back into their lives. He taught them how to love again, something that my father greatly struggled with. He completely opened his heart for anything that they needed, which in turn allowed them to appreciate the new love he had developed for them. Until then, we had never understood why our father had such a difficult time inviting new people into our lives. He was afraid for us because he did not want us to ever have to feel the pain that he endured as a child. We may never know much about our father’s real father, but we now know that his tragic past has caused him to be the protective father that we have grown to love.


Our first step of the journey began with visiting our father’s relatives for the very first time. We met with our aunt, who is our father’s sister, and her daughter, who is our cousin. Our aunt Holly lives in the home in which our father last resided in before moving to Pennsylvania. It was a two-story located in downtown Raleigh, a very suburban area. It was a fairly large home, with ivory siding and navy blue shutters. She gave us a tour, but she said that the interior of the home was nothing like our father would remember. We went to the backyard to find an enormous stump, which had once been our father’s favorite tree to climb. Our father has always been the adventurous type, but we now see where many of his childhood scars are from. From there, we went to a small part of the city to find our cousin, Megan’s, home. She has three daughters, which reminded my sister and me of how we were as children. We found it quite interesting to see how they lived; being that it could have been us if our father had never left the city. They were extremely religious, which is something our father had instilled in us at a very young age. My sister and I had grown up in our mother’s church, which was something that our father had never agreed with. Our aunt described their childhood home as a loving but very strict environment. They went to church every Sunday, unless there were extenuating circumstances. We are now able to understand why our father gets so upset with us when we do not attend church regularly. His mother had brought him up this way, so he feels it is his job as a father to teach us what he knows and believes is right. Hearing about our families religious lives aided in our understanding of why our father believes in the things he does.


Next on our journey we took a tour of the city and saw many important places from our father’s childhood. We returned to the home that he grew up in, which our aunt says is exactly the same as it was when they lived there. We also visited the site our father went to preschool, which was in the basement of an old church. We were unable to get inside though, being that the school was closed during summer. We then ventured a few miles down the road to a park where our father used to play baseball. One fact that my sister and I both know very well is that our father admires baseball. Not only playing the sport, but also watching it. He started out playing when he was very young, which explains why he is a remarkable player. Our father is a very diligent businessman, not leaving him much free time. He does manage his time well though, in order to be our softball coach every summer. He enrolled us in our town’s summer league when we were very young, hoping to pass on his love for the sport to us. We discovered that it was his father who taught him how to play baseball, almost soon after he had learned to walk. We believe that our father acquired his magnificent coaching skills from his father.


Our journey was coming to an end, with only one place left for us to visit: our grandfather’s grave. We arrived at the cemetery, which was located behind the church which our father had attended as a child. The grave read, “Donald Bucky King,” a name that holds a special place our hearts, even though we never had the chance to meet him. There was a cold breeze in the air, almost as though his spirit was with us. Our father is not able to approach his father’s grave because the sadness he feels is simply unbearable, which is another reason as to why my sister and I had to visit for ourselves. Although we had never met our grandfather, the importance of him in our father’s life made it difficult for us to overcome the sorrow that we felt at his grave. My sister and I had suffered through the tragic death of our grandfather at a very young age; therefore, we may now relate it to our father’s pain and heartache. The journey to our father’s past not only allowed us to gain a better understanding of his life as a child, but it also brought us much closer to him on a personal level.


Although the journey of a true understanding of our father may never be complete, this voyage set us off in the right path. We can now build a personal relationship with our father that we never thought was possible. We learned that in our father’s life, actions do speak louder than words, and that he taught us by example, rather than by mouth. We can now understand why we never felt very close to our father. We learned that in order to communicate with him, we must choose our words wisely because he was never able to talk back to his parents. We have learned that when our father yells and gets angry with us, it is not because he wants to be mean. But it is because he loves us more than we could ever imagine and wants to keep us safe at all costs. Most importantly, we have learned that we can relate to our father. We are now able to confide in him with all of our problems and always count on him to give us his most honest opinions. We now know that he would never judge us, no matter how ridiculous our actions may be. Overall, we realized that he is much more than just a father figure in our lives; he is one of our best friends.


Taking a journey to our father’s hometown provided us with answers to many of our questions. We may never fully understand why he believes in certain things, but it is something that we will both strive for throughout the rest of our lives. Not only did we gain a better knowledge of the man we love most, but we also strengthened our sisterhood bond. We experienced this life-altering journey together, which we both believe could never have been done individually. We are now aware of why we were raised to be faithful Christian girls,
which we believe has shaped us into the characters we are today. We are special individuals because of our father’s influence in our lives.

(above photo taken by Caitlin King^)