Valentine’s Day 2021: Papasito Is Family and Completes My Home - by Kylar Maldonado

Up next for your perusal is an article about a special kind of bond. Kylar is Mr. Connecticut Bear 2020 and has a story to share.

February 14, 2013: it was the day of my release from a week stay at a psychiatric ward during my Junior year in high school. 

February 14, 2019: it was the first full day of recovering after my Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy, to complete another part of my transition. 

This year, my love and I were waiting in the cold winter morning at 8 am, for our addition to the family to arrive: a (roughly) three-month old kitten named Papacito, formerly named Freeway. 

A few days prior, I got approval from a therapist to get an emotional support animal. My life was on repeat: work the same minimum wage job same hours every week, cook another form of chicken, repeat. My time as Mr. Connecticut Bear 2020 had come to a sudden halt due to Covid-19. Being a 23 year old queer that loved to travel with his boyfriend to kink and drag nights all over the east coast was also put on hold. I started weekly therapy again. I started Lexipro (anxiety meds) after totaling my car on a highway during a rainstorm. Everything seemed so repetitive and meaningless. I felt that I had no contribution to life and again felt a big sense of something missing. 

February 8th, 2021: Freeway’s adoption agency emailed me back. He was the first one I felt a connection with. I was drawn to him—not only was he a cutie, but he was found wandering a busy freeway down in Nashville, Tennessee at a month old.

Fast forward to Sunday (date): standing in a pet care lot with like minded souls who had traveled far and wide from all over New England, I couldn’t help but get so excited seeing my baby waiting to come out of his kennel and into my arms. He doesn’t leave my shoulder except to eat or sleep, and he constantly sounds like a vibrator whose battery won’t die. 

Papacito truly has made this house his home. There’s cuddle’ time, findin’-random-toys-in-every-crevice-possible-time, him zooming around for the laser pointer, and watching horror or drag race on my laptop when he's not trying to tap the screen. His golden flake eyes, dark black coat with light gray undercoat and very diverse range of meows has filled that hole that has been sitting deep in my chest for the past year. I feel whole again. Eddie and I are so honored to have him in our lives. And just like me and my partner, Eddie, owners of all ages are met their new cuties of all ages, breeds, colors and species, and they are smiling wide as well.

I wish that all other animals found like this would get the attention and care that they deserve. As the billboard I pass by on the way to work says, “Animals don’t spread Covid-19, they spread love.” 2020 was not kind to anyone, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for a better tomorrow. Love wholeheartedly and do it genuinely. My family is my home.

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