Setting: living at the house on Vandalia. I was having to run an errand to drop off a car somewhere west of the house, and had to walk back home. On my walk back, I came across a church. Something told me to go inside, so I did. The main area had no people, but I could hear voices emanating from the back rooms, a casual sermon just wrapping up. The church members were lower-class, but very warm and friendly.
After the sermon was finished, a church member approached, welcomed me to the church, and invited me to take a look at their "gift shop" in the back, which sold various religious items. Rows of tarot cards and holy cards lined one table. On the next table were these strange clip-like items. It was as though three alligator clips were attached to each other with a small chain, to form a Y. I wondered what this was for, so I asked a nearby woman. She replied that the alligator clip configuration was for committing suicide. For some reason I wanted to purchase one.
The shop was full of items I wanted to buy, including one item that stood out. It was a teal-green machine, about the size and shape of one of those Kit-N-Kaboodle makeup boxes. The device's purpose was to "verify" ping pong balls. Working similar to those lotto ping pong ball devices, you would drop in a ball at the top, the ball would spin around inside and be ejected on the side, marked with verification somehow. I wanted to buy this machine, but for some reason didn't.
On the table opposite, there was a kitten sitting all alone. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. In the church, the cat appeared dark grey, but when I got it home (I apparently purchased the kitten), the cat's fur was a deep purple, similar in color and texture to a Crown Royal bag, almost velvety. I remember Mother adoring the cat as much as I did.
