While scrolling through the news on my phone, I saw an ad about suitcases and remembered how I picked my famous pink suitcase.
I was getting ready to leave my Sri Lanka, my home of 14 years. I was conflicted; wanted to go home to be close to my three great grandsons, yet wanted to stay in Sri Lanka and continue photographing weddings.
Family won out.
Needing a suitcase, my friend and photo partner, Lipton, and I went shopping for one. We found a place in an outdoor market that was selling them. It’s a thing in Sri Lanka and in many countries where foreigners are charged more than locals. I learned that early on, so I stayed in the car while Lipton looked over the suitcases. He would hold one up and I’d give him a thumbs up or thumbs down. A bright pink suitcase, large enough for most of my clothes that I was taking, looked like a thumbs up suitcase. Lipton made the deal and all was good.
With the bright pink color I never lost my suitcase in the luggage carousel.
Settled into my current place in Lake County, my pink suitcase was stored in a closet. At that time, I had adopted a stray white female polydactyl cat, who I named Noodle because when I’d pick her up, she’d flop in my arms like a wet noodle.
Turned out Noodle was pregnant. I’ve never been around newborn kittens so I knew it was going to be an experience.
What did a pregnant cat have to do with the pink suitcase?
That’s where Noodle picked for her birthing place. She gave birth to five adorable all-white kittens. Four survived. Three polydactyls and one with normal paws. Noodle’s paws look like baseball mitts so of course, her babies would have extra toes.
The Oodles (I nicknamed the group after Noodle) were born during the pandemic and I posted daily about them, put up pictures and videos. So many people thanked me for entertaining them during the tough time.
When it came time to adopt them out, I couldn’t give away my sweet Claire so with Sox, the elder Noodle, and now a new one, Honey, that makes four.
With all the fires happening in and around Lake County, I should have stuffed the pink suitcase as a Go-Bag but I used plastic boxes instead. Easier to pack into my small car, along with three cat carriers my four furry darlings.
What’s a girl to do?…If the time actually comes for an evacuation, I’ll pack the cats first and then decide what I’ll have to leave behind. Sadly the pink suitcase will stay in the closet where it’s been since the Oodles were born four years ago.
Lucy Llewellyn Byard is currently a columnist for the Record-Bee. To contact her, email lucywgtd@gmail.com
