From Disaster Comes Good by D.A.Sanford - HTML preview

Look what the cat dragged in

While hunting, I heard a noise coming from the brush. Ready to shoot, out comes a well fed orange tom cat. It starts rubbing against my leg. All I could think to do is pet it and ask if it missed the people.

“It does not look like you have missed too many meals. Want to come home with me?”

This hunt is just to get out so I start to go home. The cat follows me so close that I almost tripped over it. I open the gate and it struts through as if it owned the place. Now in my chair, it starts purring. I am looking at it and can’t help myself.

“Just make yourself at home why don’t ya.”

That it does. It wants to go out at night but I find that it is back at sunrise. I know it’s back because it will just yowl until I open the door. Then it hits me, the gate is still closed. I notice that there is a cat sized area that has been dug out . I look at it and I could swear that it smiled at me.

This cat has taken over the hide. There is not a single place that I haven’t found it asleep. It now has taken over my life. I do believe that it found me because I always gut my kills before I bring them in to butcher.

Days after, it must have put out the word, two more came in. I look at him and say that this is not going to turn out to be a flop house. “All of you need to pull your weight. I expect not to find any mice in here.” After that, I started to find tribute at my door.

The cat comes out, as I look at the line up of small animals, so I ask, “Is this for you or me?” He just looks at me and yawns.

Now during the day, there are cats sleeping all over the yard and in the hide. Funny thing is , they all use that first dig under the fence. They now have become my companions. I know each of them but all seem to be allowing me to share their space.

Most will come in during the day and sleep but when night time comes around, they are all out prowling. A lot of times, I will find the various gifts they have brought to me. Mice, snakes and such but occasionally I find a rabbit or a squirrel. Those I cook. The others I will chop up and put in a large bowl for the young ones. My hunts, I have taken to freezing the innards and will use those, chopped up, with the gifts they bring.

I’ll talk to them but almost all won’t even meow back. There are two that still want that domestic life, somewhat, During the day, they will want to be around me and when I sit, they sleep on my lap. I’ll talk to them.

It is at that time that I must confess that I truly miss back and forth conversation. Those times I will talk to them and say,

“If only you could really understand me.” I pet the orange one sleeping in my lap, “Would you please find someone truly looking for a safe spot to live and guide them back here. I know that you don’t have any other motive than to just sit here and sleep but I may just wander off into my own mind if I don’t have someone to answer back.”

I continue to pet and drift off to sleep.

A few days after that, again I was just sitting. Instead of jumping up in my lap, the cat would not shut up. It would yowl and walk to the door. I didn’t follow it and it came back sat and would not shut up.

“THE DOOR IS OPEN.” I yell at it.

Much to my surprise, I hear “We are not hostile, the cat seemed like it wanted us to follow .”

There stood a woman around my age. She had four children with her. To say that I was startled is an understatement but I did yell, at the cat, that the door was open. To recover my composure, I get up and look at them.

A motley group. You could tell they have existed, tough road but they survived, so far. Looking at them, I want to trust my gut feeling. I could have easily been attacked from behind but they did not. I do not say a word but motion for them to follow me to the table.

“Everyone sit.” I tell them. Because this was going to be our escape hide, there are more than enough chairs at the large table. They all sit. I go into the kitchen and start to cook. Something simple but filling. I grind up some of my kills and was able to make a macaroni dish.

As I was cooking, I asked how they found me. I was told that they saw the cat. After her grandchildren petted it for a while, it started to walk away but when we did not follow, it kept on coming back to us. It almost seemed desperate.

“I decided to follow it. I do not know why but my grandchildren wanted to so we did. We saw your door was open. Cautious but when we heard you say that the door was open, we came in.”

“First, my name is Ralph Welder. What’s yours and the children’s names? It is awkward saying hay you and pointing.”

She is Sharon. The three girls are Ann, Sharlene and Sally. The boy is Charles.

The food is done and I serve them. “There is more but eat slow.” It is a good day. I am talking and getting answers. I tell my tale first. I did not leave anything off. Tough times give no reason to spare anyone’s feelings.

I had to laugh. When I talked about the cannibalism, the girls stopped eating and looked at the dish then me. All is needed to say was “deer meat.” They smiled and finished their seconds.

Now for the big thing on my part.

“I can tell that you have been traveling. Do you want to live in peace? Just know, the reason I told my background first is so you know that I have been betrayed by my family. I was deeply hurt by them and in the end had to put them down. If you can live within the friendly rules, I offer this place for you to stay.

First and foremost, the cats bring me presents, mostly mice and such. Those are cutup and fed to them along with my game kills innards. They rule. That is why the door is left open during the day. They wander out towards nightfall. Some of the older ones will stay during the night but the door is closed.

You are the first people to show up here. The cats can get through the fence so from now on, the gate will be locked.

Next, you can see that I have kept this place clean. The cats go outside to do their business but if you see poop clean it up. Help in keeping this place clean. Sharon, assign them tasks for each day.

Finally, stay alert and if you see something tell me.”

It is only midday but I show them around. Explain the inventory list. Take one mark it down. Food is only for meals but, showing the locker with the padlock on it, I open it and there is can sodas and other snacks that I like are there. I tell them that these are rewards for good work, helping when not asked and such.

“I will allow, when each of you have done some of those things, each to choose an item. I encourage you to do group things otherwise you will have to wait for the last one. I would like you to do group things. I will show you the garden and show which are plants and which are weeds. If all make weeding your extra responsibility, you could earn treats once a week.”

That did not go over well but later I do see all working together. That is my real goal.

The biggest hit was the clothes area. Yes, I am a male. Most of what was there, in all sizes from kids to adults were jeans, tee shirts and such. I need to say that I am not totally clueless. I have an all sizes and yes in both sexes, under ware. I have them pick two outfits, sox and shoes included.

It is Sharon that makes sure that all selections have extra room for growth. Watching her press the shoes to see if there is enough toe room brought back memories of my mom doing the same thing.

Bundles in hand, I take the five to the bedrooms. I have taken the first one but tell them that the original idea was going to be two to a room but now, I point to the other side of the hallway. Each of you can have your own room. I tell them that the last doors on each side are the bathrooms.

“Toilet, sink, a large seated shower and laundry. Since my bedroom is on the left side that side bathroom is for the men and the opposite is the ladies. If there are bathroom emergencies, you ladies can use our side but knock first. Also lock the door. You don’t want us men to walk in on you. Charles, we will let the ladies, this once, to use both showers first. Ladies please choose your rooms, leave your bundles and we men will go to pet the cats and talk. Sharon, when all of you are done, please let Charles know that he can get cleaned up.”

Each room has its own toiletries so that they can have their own, not share soap.

A refreshed Sharon comes out and ushers Charles to the shower. She then sits and I can tell exactly what she is thinking so I speak to her a simple set of words.

“There are no strings attached that we have not already broached. I know that you must think that I want certain special things from you but I don’t. Putting it blunt, I only met you today. I was talking to that cat the other day about him going to find me someone to talk to that can answer back. This is the most I have talked in months. This is what I wanted someone to answer because I don’t understand the cat language.”

She looks like a large load has been shed so I continue.

“You are attractive, but I still have my now dead wife’s betrayal that I need to work out so sex is out. At least for the foreseeable future. Know this, you would be the only one, if we mutually decide that course. Those young ladies are not in any way in my sights. If you know what I mean.”

Sharon is very relaxed now and she thanks me for clearing the matter up. “I was feeling under an obligation of having to be used to secure my grandchildren’s safety. “

She tells me that her husband died a while back. One day her daughter showed up at her door and asked if she would watch them for the day. She never returned. All I got in the mail was the official paperwork giving me full custody. There was a note telling her that her daughter needed to be free.

“That was the last time I heard from her. I can only hope that she Is okay.”

She excuses herself saying that she needs to check on Charles to see if he was really washed or just ran through the water. Then she needs to see to the girls. I tell her that I will cook something up for supper but if any or all fall asleep, it will still be good as a breakfast.

“But after today, we eat breakfast, lunch and supper. No excuses. I’ll close up here. I need to lock the gate.”

It appeared that the fact of being clean, fed and a comfortable bed inside a secure lockable room of their own, allowed sleep to take hold. Me, I sat in the chair with a cat or two until it was their time to go out for the night. One by one they went out the door, under the fence and disappeared into the dusk.

Some come running back and there is a lot of yowling. I grab my side arm and rifle. I lock the gate and go in the direction of the turmoil. I now see a coyote that is now trying to make a meal out of my orange cat. The coyote his trying to get around to his side but the hissing and posture tells him that this is a fighter.

I won’t tolerate this. They are my family. I shoot the coyote.

The cats all know what my side arm sounds like. Only the newer run but the orange is a fighter. He has spirit and I watch as it cautiously slinks up to the dead adversary. He takes a few full claw swipes at it, then turns tail and sprays it. It looks at me as if to say that I spoiled a good fight.

I look at the body and see that there is enough hide to make a few pair of warm winter gloves. It is on my back and I will gut it. The orange will have a special treat in the morning.

When I am at the gate, Sharon and the four were wakened by the shot. Not seeing me there, they were worried that something happened. Opening the gate and locking it again, I explained about the cats and the coyote.

“It happens out here. It is a good thing that you were in here because they will stalk even humans. I always look after the cats so this sometimes is a necessity. This is why you will not go out alone unarmed. You children will not go into the woods unless one of us is with you. Enough, I need to gut this. It will feed the cats for a week or more. I’m going to make winter gloves from the hide. Now go back to sleep.”

In the morning, I see a still smug orange cat waiting for his reward for protecting me. I give him the first bowl then put the morning’s food down for the others. Every cat is very happy at the fresh meat. That includes a new one that looks strangely like a very young wild cat. I need to watch that one.

All are awake and they think nothing of that young cat coming in and sleeping next to its protector. The orange cat. That may be what the coyote was really after.

Sharon and the children see nothing but cats. I tell them that the new one may be the reason the orange cat got into that fight.

“Please do not try to pet it for now. I am watching it but I think that the orange has adopted it. That one may be an asset in the future.”

As I am saying that, the orange now is rubbing my leg and his adopted is following what he is doing. I look and pet the orange. The wild cat wants the same. I pet it and it is loving it. This one will not be a problem.

Sharon is smiling. “It seems like you are adopting ones who are lost. Thank you.”

The wild cat grew and was very friendly, to us and the other cats. It is the only one that need to have the gate opened. Regardless of how big it got, the orange was still its father and would show it the respect that it deserved.

Things have been well here and I find that the children are always helping. They never have failed to get their once a week treat. On that day, I first go through what I saw and gave praise. I also gave encouragement when needed. They have grown on me. I really feel that I may have been adopted as their new grandfather.

Sharon is also growing on me. At first we each had our own personal space but lately I do notice that my space is getting smaller. I try not to read anything into it. It is hard to ignore. I know that one day very soon, we will need to sit and discuss exactly how this is going to progress but the old feelings of wanting to trust her are being replaced by wanting her.

Again, being male, I over think things.