Albert

Albert was in search of a family. At the age of one month, Albert’s Russian owners placed him in a big box with his brothers and sisters and took him to the pet market on a Moscow side street close to St Basil’s Cathedral. Albert stayed warm in the freezing December cold of Moscow because his long white hair protected him. Albert did not like breathing the cold Moscow air, because it made his lungs ache. Albert huddled closely with his mother and several brothers and sisters born on the same day as he was.

Natasha and Daniel happened to be in Moscow on business and walked along an ice crusted street near St. Basil’s. Natasha saw the pet market on a side street and tugged on Daniel’s arm to follow her to the pet market. Daniel thought it might be nice just to look, but he cautioned Natasha, “We are not going to buy any pets”. Natasha’s natural enthusiasm was not dampened. She was happy that Daniel would let her look at the pets.

Natasha and Daniel did not know Albert was looking for a family to get him out of the cold. Natasha loved to look at the beautiful kittens. There were orange Burmese kittens, beige and black Siamese kittens, and bluish gray coated Persian kittens.

Then Natasha stopped at the box holding Albert and his brothers and sisters. In the middle of the box was a long-haired white kitten crying with pink mouth open and pink tongue showing. Albert was the only cat not sleeping in a tight bundle. Albert was looking for a family and loved the perfumed smell of Irina as she picked him up. Albert wasted no time snuggling in her warm mittens and looking at Natasha longingly and lovingly. Natasha turned to Daniel. “We need a cat!” “We do?” inquired Daniel. “Yes, we do,” she said, and Albert meowed his agreement. “See? He chose us.”

Daniel wanted to please Natasha, but they were in Moscow on company business and had to fly back to St Petersburg. Daniel had questions. “How much for the kitten?” Nadia, the girl selling the cats said, “2,000 rubles and he comes with pedigree papers.” Daniel considered the price and had to convert the rubles into dollars in his mind. Daniel knew pedigree papers were important, because that meant Albert was a pureblood royal cat. Nadia showed them the pedigree papers with Albert’s royal line.

“How do we get him on the plane? He will freeze if he cannot be in the cabin with us.” Irina answered, “We can fly on Aeroflot, the Russian airline and they will let us take a kitten on board in a small cage.” Nadia laughed and said, “Yes, they will and I have the perfect cage I brought from France and will sell it for only a few rubles.”

Daniel considered taking the overnight train to St Petersburg on the Red Arrow that arrived about7 o’clock in the morning, but already had the plane tickets and would be met by his driver.

“Albert may get sick,” he continued. Nadia laughed again and said Albert had his shots already.
He made one more try, “How can we keep him in the Metropol hotel room?” This time Natasha shot him a look with fire in her eyes and the hint of a tear. “I love Albert and want him. We will hide him in the room. Albert is so small, we can do it.”

Daniel paid the girl for Albert and Albert now had his family that he had wanted. Natasha joyously cuddled Albert in her warm mittens and silver wolf fur coat that in Russia was almost a necessity for keeping warm. “We need some warm milk for him at the hotel and small box to keep him,” Natasha said to Daniel.

Daniel was a quick thinker and said, “We can get the warm milk at the hotel where the milk is safe and we can put him in my bag for safety next to my socks.”

Natasha though had spotted a small plastic cage in the pet market and they bought it for the trip back home to St Petersburg, Russia.