The Cat Story (cat lovers, turn away now)

Okay, I've decided to tell a story...and this one if perhaps my most requested story of all time. go back with me to Christmas Eve 1998. I was home from college and enjoying some time with my parents. We were having Christmas with our entire family on Christmas Day. While I was helping my Mom wrap presents and bake pies, I realized that I was a horrible daughter. Here it was Christmas Eve and I had forgotten to get my Mom a Christmas gift.

I went in and told my Dad that I was going to Blockbuster. My Mom loves the movie "Gone With the Wind" and I wanted to get her the special collectors edition that was out at that time.

I got in my Chevrolet Blazer and left the driveway. I turned the corner and just a bit down the road I saw a cat on the side of the street. This dear cat was standing on the curb watching me and my Forest Green Blazer (not a van, by the way) barrel down the street. I saw the cat. The cat saw me. The remember thinking that I hoped the cat didn't run into the road. He stayed on the side of the road right until my car passed him and then like a crazy cat, he darted right out into the street. I felt and heard the thump of my front tires, I then felt and heard the thump of my back tires.

Now, I have to be honest. I have a dog. I love dogs. Dogs do not jump onto kitchen counters. Dogs love to be petted. You take dogs on walks. Dogs are good. I have never had a cat, I have never desired to have a cat and unless I find a cat that looks and acts just like a dog, I seriously doubt that I will ever want a cat. However, I did not intend to kill this cat and here it was Christmas Eve and I'm picturing some pool little child out searching for his cat. Perhaps, posting signs on street post and calling out "here Whiskers".

I pulled my car (not van, can be called SUV or Truck) over to the side of the road and got out. What I saw, I will never forget. The images flood my mind. The cat was still alive. He (could have been a she, I didn't look closely enough to find out) looked at me as if to say "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" All I saw was something that looked really really gross. I wasn't sure what to do.

I got back in my car and drove back down the street to my parents house. I called my sister in law and her mom. Her mom was a vet. She wasn't sure what to do either, since it was Christmas and most places would be closed.

I got back into my car and headed back to the scene of the crime. When I arrived on the scene, there were several people there. The feline had been taken to the side of the road. A lady around 50 years old sat on the curb holding the said cat. The cat was still alive. I walked over to this lady, fully prepared to tell her that I was very sorry but I was the one who hit her cat (even though technically her cat hit me, but whatever). When I got closer I saw that the woman was weeping and holding the cat very tight. I told her that I had a towel in my car (not van) if she would like to use it. She said that would be great. As I walked to my car I thought that this woman is crazy. She is weeping uncontrollably. She is going to kill me.

I took her my towel and as she wrapped up her precious cat, it took it's last, hung it's head and died. She wept louder. Then she said in an angry rage "The problem with the people in this neighborhood is that they just need to slow down". Well, that comment didn't help how I was feeling. I wasn't driving fast. I saw the cat and was relying on the cat NOT to dart out in front of me. I determined through other things that were said that morning, that I could not tell this lady that I killed her cat, because my earlier assessment of her was in fact true, she was crazy.

The day after Christmas, I was upstairs getting ready when I heard the doorbell ring. I listened as my Mom talked to someone at the door. Then the door shut and I heard my mom laughing uncontrollably and calling me to come down stairs. In her hands was my towel, all washed and Downy fresh (it went in the trash). There was also a gift bag with a cat on it. In the bag was tons of goodies, like bubble gum, candy bars. Each one was individually wrapped in cat wrapping paper. There as also a card, on cat stationary, which had my name and address in puff paint on the outside. The card read:

Dear Amber,
Here is your towel. Thank you for helping me in my horrible time. We had Frisky for 8 wonderful years. He gave us 8 years of purrs, head rubs and love, love, love. Thank you again.
Love,
(HER NAME)
and her now 5 cats not 6