2000-05-22 - 18:15:50

May 22, 2000

Repeat ?

Cat-a-ract

Adventures, both large and small happen to all of us periodically. This was a small one with dangerous implications and possiblity of tragedy.

Baby Heather wanted a kitten for her birthday. We were broke, Heather called around to find a give away kitten. Most of the time the people wanted some one to take The whole litter. Heather finally located one. It was catty cornered clear across the Metro area. Of course I would go pick it up, no qualms here.

My destination turned out to be some where in an area of stakes and strings, rutty streets, no street signs and what houses there were mostly without addresses or occupants. It was windy with wall to wall blowing vertical real estate.

Of course I got lost. The dust was thick enough that I couldn't see the mountains or the sun. Frazzled and fretted amongst other things.

I was finally pointed in the right direction by a courteous delivery man and given a map on a piece of his brown lunch bag.

Never ask a neighborhooder, how, where or whatever...Men can find their way to and from work, the filling station, Seven Eleven and the liquor store, even then sometimes they need a map. The women can find their way to and from the school, Seven Eleven and Safeway. And when you find someone who knows where they are and where the place is you want to get to is - - - The directions are impossible to follow because the director had forgotten a crucial step in the route. Rant, rant, rant ! ! ! !

Finally I arrived at the door step of the right house. The housewife there reluctatly and apparently a paranoiac finally put this small ball of fluff which weighed less than nothing in my hands, a shaking little thing, scared to death. I gently petted it and talked to it in a soft, soothing voice. When the little tiger was calm and had stopped shaking I carefully and slowly took the kitten to the car and put it on the passenger seat, went around and got in the driver's seat.

Beastie seemed comfortble and didn't come unglued when I started the engine. After a short time I moved out. A block or two and the cat turned into a yowling ball of teeth and claws. It emphatically did not want or intend to ride in the car anymore.

By the time the kitten had clawed its way to the top of my headpiece there were more holes in me than in a pin cushion. I accomplished that ride across the metro area, freeways and all, wearing a feline skull cap, attached firmly fore and aft with four paws of claws.

I swore to myself that never would I take a cat anywhere in a car ever again, and I haven't. Now they have pet carriers at the pet shops. That ferocious kitten was more rebellious than a teen aged macho boy.

But the warm fuzzy, the hug, the kiss and softly said into my ear, "thanks daddy," served better than any salve or antibiotics could. Children are truly gifts of God, to be treasured forever.

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