The Day I Walked Into Their Lives
A True Story of Ceviche, Signs, and One Extraordinary Tortoise
It all began with a dropped spoon. I had just finished cooking huevo weenie (a simple dish of sausage and eggs) for my boyfriend for the first time. As I turned to serve it, I dropped the big spoon. If you're Mexican, you know — a dropped spoon means someone's coming. A superstition, yes. But also a sign. So, I smiled, picked up the spoon, and waited to see what the day would bring.
Later that day, I started prepping ceviche for the Easter weekend. I went to the store, gathered all the fresh ingredients, and began chopping vegetables. Around 5 pm, after tossing veggie scraps in the trash, Nathaniel stepped outside and called in: "Uh, there's something out here!" I walked outside and saw something prehistoric: large, slow-moving, and completely unbothered, munching near the trash. A tortoise?! I grabbed some lettuce and carrots and fed him. He didn’t flinch or leave. He stayed.
Just a few days earlier, I had installed a new sign out front for my business — Pet Care N Services. Looking at the tortoise, then at the sign, I thought, "did you come because of the sign?" He wandered in through the backyard gate when we opened it. He walked in like he already owned the place!
Abigail (Or So We Thought)
I assumed right away that the tortoise was a girl and promptly named her Abigail. I didn’t know how to tell the difference, but I knew she was special. I called and emailed several wildlife rescue services. The next day — Good Friday — I received a call back from Ann at The Living Desert. She explained that tortoises were waking up from brumation and many were without homes due to changes in their previous owners' lives. She asked if we'd be willing to foster. By the end of the call, the question changed to if we’d rather adopt. Without hesitation, yes!
A few months later, Ann visited our home. She confirmed that Abigail was indeed not a girl, but a healthy roughly 35-year-old male tortoise. We signed the paperwork, registered him with the state wildlife services, and made it official. Josecíto was now a resident of the Racquet Club Estates in Palm Springs — named such because he arrived on Good Friday. He wasn’t just a surprise visitor. He was a sign, a gift, and a gentle teacher reminding us to slow down and care more deeply.
Josecíto Today
Today, Josecíto lives happily in our backyard sanctuary. He’s healthy, thriving, and teaching us — and the community — what it means to live with purpose and patience. He’s become an ambassador for tortoise conservation here in the Coachella Valley. Want to help us raise awareness and fund his care? Shop Josecíto merchandise and help spread the word!
