So i have to preface this with a story so everyone gets the significance of how amazing this is.
I used to go to school with a girl named Cali, and she was literally, the very first friend i made when I moved to the town. We played field hockey, softball, basketball and ran track together, had about 4 or 5 classes together during middle school and were in the same homeroom in sixth grade, which is how we met. One of those classes was sixth grade Language Arts, and our teacher had nicknames for EVERYONE. Cali was "Calico". I moved to another school for high school and we kinda lost touch, but I never once forgot about how incredible she was and how good of a friend she was. She was killed a month ago (may 30th) in a terrible car accident.
Today, I got a phone call from my mom saying a baby kitten was living on my grandparents deck. I claimed the kitten as mine because the apartment I'm moving into next month is pet friendly, and my parents said no dogs, but a cat was acceptable. I started trying to think of a name right away. Then my mom said it was a calico kitten. The first thing I thought of was Mrs. Brookens always calling Cali "Calico," and started to consider that as a name, in honor of Cali. I sent this picture of the kitten to my boyfriend, who showed it to his mom. My boyfriend is from six hours away from where Cali and I grew up, and he never knew her, and his mom never knew of Cali's existence. Jer only knew because I told him about her accident. The text I got from him says "My mom said name it Cali, and when I asked why she said 'it's a calico cat.' I agree, it should be Cali." Later, I called my mom back, and she said my six year old cousin had been playing with it all night, and even named it. I was joking around saying well I claimed it, and asked what he named it. I started crying when she told me he named it "Cali." Several hours later, I'm in amazement at how Cali's memory is living on. Three people who never knew of Cali's existence are keeping her spirit and memory alive.
This is my new baby kitten, and her name is Cali. <3
Cali Lorriane Schryoer, I miss & love you, rest in peace Caligirl.