Read on to find out.

Our part of the country was enduring the most recent Arctic Blast. For those of you who never experienced one, it means really, really, cold. Dangerously cold.

It was my last day of work before the New Year’s weekend. The temperature that morning was -7 degrees.

I parked my car and was quickly heading for the door of my workplace. I heard a weak “Meow” coming from under a truck parked next to me. I walked around to see where it was coming from. About that time a skinny little tabby cat ran up to me meowing loudly. The quality of the meow was, “Please help me!”

What should I do? I couldn’t leave him out in this cold, especially in a parking lot. What if he got run over?

So I opened the door. He hesitated.

“Well get in here.” I said. “It’s too cold for you out here!”

He didn’t wait for me to ask a second time. In the door, down the hall and around a corner he ran.

I heard someone coming the other way yell, ”Hey, there’s a cat in here!” I feared that someone would grab him and toss him back out in the relentless cold. Some of the people I work with seem to have pretty hard exteriors.

We caught up with him, picked him up, and the purring started. He was in pretty rough shape, obviously malnourished and with runny eyes. We took him down to the security office.

By this time someone had already named him Lou. The security officer said he knew some people and would make a call.

A large box was procured. Someone put a towel in the box for a soft place to lie. Another guy was in the break room cutting cups for cat sized food and water dishes. Soon a box with kitty litter showed up. Email updates circulated.

As word of Lou’s existence spread, people started to visit. Picking him up for a cuddle or a head scratch. Lou responded with a purr and a knead. It seemed he was enjoying his newfound popularity. I was hoping someone would take him home.

The security officer’s friend said to bring Lou to them for an evaluation.

Then we heard nothing more.

After a week, people started asking, “What happened to little Lou?”

Finally another email. Besides the malnutrition and cold in his eyes, Lou had a broken tail. The tips of his ears were frost bitten. So were the pads on his feet.

But the good news was he was on the mend and doing well. The local pet shop was his new home and he was available for adoption.

You can find out more about Lou at this link. https://www.petfinder.com/cat/lou-40596145/ny/corning/tanners-p-dot-aw-dot-s-ny1141/

I want to thank everyone who pitched in to help save Lou. You have shown me the goodness of people. I look at my fellow employees a little differently now. They have restored my faith in the compassion and goodness that people have.

Anatole France said, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

I can now say I have witnessed the awakening of souls.

And a special thanks to a little stray cat named Lou for helping to start another year with hope.