Percy Makenzie

The day of my 17th birthday party, Makenzie was the second one to arrive. She looked so excited. I didn't understand why until i looked into her hands and saw what she was holding. Something that always makes my day. My smile was huge, and her seeing me smile made her smile. It was one of those things i loved. A PetCo box saying caution live animal inside!! Animals have always been a big part of my life. I quickly began questioning her. "Would i think it's cruel to leave it in it's box over night?" "Does it have water?". I didn't want to open it till everyone was there but i decided i couldn't wait. I open the little box and inside was a little hermit crab. It had a strange little creature painted on it's shell that no one could identify. With the hermit crab she gave me some food for it. Luckily I still had all of my hermit crab supplies. Makenzie watched me as i ran around my house searching for sand, bark, sponges and a cage. As i began setting up it's tank Makenzie said "Name it Makenzie!". I said no because i had done that before and it always made me feel weird when a pet would die that was named after a friend.

I ran downstairs and told my parents. My mom gave me a sarcastic "Oh yeah!" and i think my dad growled. When Katelyn Norman arrived at my house she kept saying "Come Percy we must be squeaky clean for the new world!" from Pochanotus.. Over the night somehow the hermit crab became named Percy. Everyone kept saying that line too! "come Percy we must be squeaky clean for the new world" over and over again. If you look back at Makenzie status on facebook from March 29 or 30th i believe that's what her status says. We all set our status to that. I remember as we were going out to swim that night Makenzie went up to my mom and said "Did you see what i gave Katie?" My mom said yes very happily when i knew inside she was going "Oh great, now we will have to go to the pet store and buy more hermit crab decorations". Especially after the fact that my dad had just made the rule no more buying pets.

Now, Percy is my living memory of Makenzie. Whenever that little crab passes away i will probably cry harder for it then any other hermit crab i have lost in the past. After Makenzie passed i remembered her telling me to name it after her. I decided to make Makenzie it's middle name. I am so glad she gave me that crab! She told me she picked it specifically because it was the most energetic. Reminds me of her.