Lost and Found
A month after Robyne passed away, both Cross and Ginger disappeared on 26 July. I saw them playing outside from 05:24 to 06:17, but when I called them for breakfast, they didn’t show up. 😟 I searched all around the neighborhood. At one point, I heard Ginger cry briefly from the back of my house — an undeveloped plot owned by a neighbor I don’t like. The weeds there have grown so dense they’ve become a small jungle. I tried to enter with a sickle, but the bushes were too tall and thick. I could hear Ginger’s faint cries and growls, but by afternoon, the sound stopped. There are no words to describe how I felt that day. I kept searching and calling for them, but heard nothing. I was desperate, sick to my stomach, and completely lost. I don’t even remember how many times I went out looking. I couldn’t sleep that night — waking up constantly, worrying about them. 😭
The next morning, I climbed onto the roof to get a bird’s-eye view. I felt a bit relieved when I heard Ginger’s faint voice again, but it didn’t last long. I kept calling, trying to pinpoint her location, but got no response. I called Odile and asked if she could help me take Ginger and Cross to Dr. Umika if I found them injured. She agreed. So I grabbed a giant garden shear and tried again to cut through the bush. I kept calling their names, but nothing. I was exhausted, heartbroken, and terrified that I might never see them again. The past five months had been the happiest time I’ve had in Mauritius — I couldn’t imagine life without them. But the dense bush stopped me again. I needed help.
I returned home, losing hope, but kept checking the CCTV, praying they’d find a way back. Then I saw Christophe returning from work. I ran out and asked for help. He agreed immediately. Around 16:30, we headed to the bush together. While I was calling for Ginger, I heard her faint voice again. We stopped cutting and listened carefully. We both realized the sound was coming from behind the wall of a neighbor who rarely stays at that house. The wall wasn’t very tall, so I asked Christophe to climb in with me. He went in first — and found them.
They were stuck behind a water tank placed in the corner — a tiny, tiny space where both Ginger and Cross were trapped. Cross must have fallen in first because he was at the bottom. We believe Ginger tried to save him and got stuck too. They looked exhausted. Cross tried to jump, but the water tank was smooth plastic — no grip. The space was too narrow for them to climb up the wall. When Ginger saw me, she cried loudly. I tried to reach her, but my arms weren’t long enough. We tried using a stick, hoping they could climb, but it was too narrow. We tried a plank, but the angle was wrong and the space too tight. Christophe suggested using a towel — I found an old rag. He tried to grab Ginger with it, but she tried to bite him. I knew he didn’t want to get scratched or bitten, so I tried next, but she wouldn’t lift her head high enough. We took turns again and again. Finally, Christophe managed to grab her. She was calm once rescued and climbed to a higher spot, crying loudly — maybe signaling Cross to trust him.
But Cross was crouching silently, frozen. I tried again, even tapping him lightly with the plank to encourage him to climb, but he didn’t move. Christophe tried once more. I told him it was okay if he had to nudge Cross a bit. Finally — finally — finally, Christophe grabbed him by the neck and pulled him out. His shirt tore in the process, but honestly, I owe Christophe far more than a shirt.
After being rescued, the first thing they did was pee and poo — in another neighbor’s yard. Then we headed home. Ginger trusted Christophe immediately, showing no fear. Cross, however, hasn’t built that trust yet. He was still scared while I was thanking Christophe. He returned to the yard a minute later than Ginger. That night, I gave them a feast and let them stay inside. The next morning, I found tiny footprints all over the kitchen. 🤦 I told myself I’d rather clean up a hundred messes than live without them. Ginger and Cross mean too much to me. I don’t think I can live without them.
Fun Facts About Kittens Losing Their Baby Teeth
- Kittens start losing their baby teeth at around 3 to 4 months old.
- Most kittens swallow their baby teeth without noticing — it’s completely normal.
- Their adult teeth usually finish growing in by 6 months.
- Teething can make kittens chew more, drool slightly, or become extra clingy.
A New Job
On 21 July, Henry messaged me on WeChat, asking how my house renovation was going. I told him I had done a lot, but still had plenty left. He recommended a waterproofing paint. Then he asked if I knew anyone in Mauritius who understands both Chinese and Creole. I suggested Michel’s wife, Suoya, but she wasn’t interested. Honestly, finding someone here who can read Chinese and is willing to work on call is almost impossible.
Then Henry asked if I was interested in selling custom-made kitchen cabinets and furniture. He offered a basic salary plus commission — but the commission was much lower than what he offered in the past. I could tell he was desperate for help with his “new” business. So I agreed, and told him I’d be returning to Hong Kong for a month at the end of the year. He hesitated, but eventually said we could start immediately.
On 23 July, I went to his office in Grand Baie. We discussed the job, but it turned out the work was more about advertising than selling. He said he would send me a file with furniture arriving soon for a larger showroom in Port Louis, and asked me to create ads. Instead of sending a folder of images, he sent me a link that required installing a Chinese software just to open the files. Inside were countless folders, each containing huge images — over 20MB each. I asked if the supplier could send thumbnails instead. He said no. He told me to download everything first. The images were all similar, just different angles. He didn’t tell me which items were actually shipping here, nor did he provide material details, dimensions, or — most importantly — prices. How am I supposed to create ads without basic product information?
One folder took about 1.5 hours to download. After downloading, I converted the files to webp format. But that’s all I could do. He also changed the brand logo I designed for him. If his version looked better, I wouldn’t mind — but I checked with Andy, Mete, and Bruno, people from three different countries, and all said mine looked better. I don’t understand why he prefers a bold, compact, misaligned logo over a clean, neat one. I know design is personal, but misalignment really bothers me. And the way he works — disorganized, unclear, and sometimes questioning me when I ask for product details — is frustrating. I wonder if all young, not-self-made rich entrepreneurs behave like this. ❔❔❔
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