Tabby Boy (Revised Chapter One)

 

Great Expectations

Chapter One

Did you read Stuart Little? Did you read Peter Rabbit? You probably never read Archy and Mehitabel!  Well, all of these stories were written by animals. They tell the story. Archy was a cockroach who learned how to type his stories. He shared them with Mehitabel, an alley cat. So now you won’t think it peculiar if I, as a Tabby cat write this story.

My recent name is Tabby Boy. A while ago, I had another name and a different life. Now I’m called a “Stray Cat.” Don’t mistake me for a feral cat. I once had an indoor home with an old woman named Sarah who loved and fondled me. I once was an “indoor cat.” I was always well groomed and well fed. Unfortunately, Sarah, the old woman had to go to a place called a Facility. No pets allowed. She opened her front door and out I went. It wasn’t a big, bad wolf who huffed and puffed and blew her brick house down. It was a giant machine. And so begins my life as a homeless stray cat. It was a sad life, but I had GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

I joined up with 2 black and white stray calico cats who led me to a kind man named David. He fed us and we lived outdoors. One day he trapped the three of us and took us someplace where we got injections and our ear clipped. I’m not sure why, but I no longer had any interest in the opposite sex; no longer in a rat race or cat race. The two black and whites were timid; I was the alpha. I took off on my own and sought a home of my own, even an outdoor home. It was springtime.

I came to a backyard, and I wanted to say, WOW!!!!” I just said a loud “MEOW!!!’ Here was a Garden of Eden. There were 2 fountains with cold fresh water. Flowers of all colors were in pots and spread across the edge of the yard. There were begonias marigolds, gardenias. Tall yellow forsythia bushes swayed back and forth, choreographed by the wind. Off to the side was a patch with tomato plants, basil, stringbean's and lettuce. 

Birds flocked to this backyard, singing as they gathered material to begin nesting. Music, color, the sound of the fountain water and the floral smell; truly a Garden of Eden.

An old man named Ben and an old woman named Ethyl (not Ethel but Ethyl with a “y”) lived in the house on this property. Ben made this garden happen and kindly started bringing me food. I had to learn some manners; I had to learn not to swat the hand that feeds you. When I got more secure living as an outdoor cat, I began to trust the man and woman. She softly began to say, “Tabby Boy!, Sweet good Tabby Boy.” I think that’s when I got my new name. I soon felt loved and fell in love.  Their soft and gentle kindness filled my greatest expectations for a better life, for a second chance.

I have so many stories to tell you if you want to hang around.

Ethyl H.