Joe Yo
On the seventh anniversary of my relationship with Jocelyn Porter, our friends decided to take the latest viral online quiz that matched people’s personalities to animals.
One of our friends, Marvin Smith, lounged lazily on the sofa and asked Jocelyn, "So, what kind of animal am I?"
"Cat," Jocelyn answered without a second thought. "You have a terrible temper, scratch people whenever you feel like it, and love making everyone miserable."
Marvin was just about to raise an eyebrow when she smiled and straightened his collar.
"But expensive cats are supposed to be spoiled. No matter how much money or patience it takes to care for one, they’re still worth it."
Everyone burst into teasing laughter, saying she was not insulting him at all. She was just showing off her precious little cat.
Someone else chimed in. "What about Bobby?"
Jocelyn glanced at me and fell silent for a long moment.
"Bobby? He has a dog’s personality."
One of our friends immediately jumped in to smooth things over.
"Right! Bobby is really like a puppy. He’s cheerful, affectionate, and always sticks close to the woman he loves."
Jocelyn lowered her head and let out a quiet laugh.
"No. It’s because no matter how many times I chase him away, he just won't leave.
"I've blocked him twenty-seven times and called off our wedding three times. At most, he cries for one night. The next morning, he comes right back to me."
The entire table erupted in laughter.
Just before the party ended, a jewelry store delivery arrived with two gift boxes.
Marvin received a pair of cat-themed luxury watches worth $480,000.
Meanwhile, my gift was a silver pet ID tag.
Engraved on the back were the words: [IF FOUND, PLEASE RETURN TO JOCELYN.]
Marvin raised his arm and draped it along the back of the sofa behind Jocelyn.
"Aren't you worried he might actually run away one day?"
Jocelyn fastened his watch for him and replied carelessly, "A dog always knows who its owner is."
I smiled, too.
Seven days later, I laid that pet ID tag on top of our fourth wedding’s cancellation notice.
This time, I did not look back.