I never intended to get a tortoise. I was in a troubled relationship with a man who was the opposite of me in almost every way. While I felt exiled every time I left Manhattan, he yearned to move to the country. When we discovered we both wanted a pet, though, we thought we finally had found common ground. I was allergic to dogs and cats, so we scouted for other possibilities at the pet store. Finally I pointed to a crowded tank, a glossy shell and a pair of orange ringed eyes. “This is what you want?” he asked doubtfully. I nodded. We named the tortoise Minnie, and by … Continue reading Caroline Leavitt