Black [#1 Tamara]

Black

         for Tamara

There was a cat, black, purring… then it was lost... and you were lost too. Too unaware of the perils felines face. We were aware. Too aware you were overwhelmed; but, what could we do? Cats hide; cats get injured; cats fall from high places and die. And we can’t tell you that. How a cat can die in so many ways, suffer in so many ways.

You suffer but there’s no way to reach you. Tell you that a cat can climb down stairs, sneak into closets, escape through doors, run away. She’s too young to do that you say. And those of us who know cats cannot argue.

You don’t go outside; you pout in your room, which, by-the-way, is quite the disaster. Did you lift up the boxes, move them, look down inside? You say you can hear her cry thru the wall; but, I hear nothing. And the janitor says he‘s already checked. What the heck! If someone finds her they‘ll ask around or call the Humane Society, I bet. Have you called them? No. Not yet…

Cats can be resilient and survive a couple days without food, even without water but I don‘t want to belabor the point; still, I‘d love to talk to your caseworker. It‘s tough being young and not have the skills to take care of yourself, much less take care of a cat; but, we all have to learn somehow, start somewhere and having seen the cat purr, wrapped around your neck, close to your chest, tells me having a cat was a good thing for you.

But it’s lost and you’re lost and none of us has a clue what to do.

© Kåre Enga

[168.187] #1 November 1, 2011

Note to elf, previous version: There was a cat, black, purring …and then it was lost; you were lost too. Too unaware of the perils a feline faces. We were aware. Too aware you were overwhelmed; but, what could we do? Cats hide; cats get injured; cats fall from high places and die. And we can’t tell you that. How a cat can die in so many ways, suffer in so many ways.

You suffer but there’s no way to reach you. Tell you that a cat can climb down stairs, sneak into closets, escape through doors, run away. She’s too young to do that you say. And those of us who know cats cannot argue.

You don’t go outside; you pout in your room, which, by-the-way, is quite the disaster. Did you lift up the boxes, move them, look down inside? You say you can hear her cry thru the wall; but, I hear nothing. And the janitor says he‘s already checked. What the heck! If someone finds her they‘ll ask around or call the Humane Society, I bet. Have you called them? Not yet…

Cats can be resilient and survive a couple days without food, even without water but I don‘t want to belabor the point; still, I‘d love to talk to your caseworker. It‘s tough being young and not have the skills to take care of yourself, mush less take care of a cat; but, we all have to learn somehow, start somewhere and having seen the cat purr, wrapped around your neck, close to your chest, tells me having a cat was a good thing for you. But it’s lost and you’re lost and none of us has a clue what to do.