On His Way Home was originally published in Richmond Hill Neighbors Magazine.
On His Way Home Part 1
My Humans
by Jeffrey Pax
Stretching all four legs and all 18 toes, Leo rolled onto his other side. His tail slapped the wood of the deck beside the inground pool. He blinked in the bright July sun. The shadow of the spindly crape myrtle made a circle around its trunk.
Midday, Leo thought. Too hot for a chubby tabby cat, with the sun high in the sky.
He stood with his back legs straight up, sliding his front paws far forward, with eyes closed, into a big cat stretch. Then he sauntered down the steps to take shelter in the shade below the deck.
Life was good. But he was a little irritated that day. Naptime had been interrupted, again. Early yesterday, an orange and white truck arrived. Matthew backed it into the driveway. A metal ramp clanged onto the cement. Leo had never seen his human drive anything like that before. All day long, Matthew and Ashley slammed tables and banged couches, dragging them out of the house. So many boxes. They were back at it again today. Leo pressed one ear to the soft dirt and put a paw over the other, trying to go back to sleep.
“LEOOOOOOOOO?”
The cat’s ears perked up. It was his favorite human, and the smallest in the family, Sophia.
“Leo?” she called again, closing the sliding glass door behind her.
“Leo!” She smiled and met the cat on the steps.
She prattled on and on about some place called “Ohio,” while Leo rubbed against her legs. He flopped on the grass, and the girl petted him. She sounded a little sad, talking about how many hours it would take to get there, so Leo climbed into her lap. He loved Sophia as much as he loved ear scratches, but he wasn’t too fond of hugs. He didn’t like to feel trapped, even for a second. But he let her hug him when he could tell she needed it.
“Here, honey,” Ashley said from the doorway. Leo jumped down as Sophia jumped up. Just the crinkly sound of that bag got Leo excited. “I know it’s early, but we gotta go soon.”
“I know.” Sophia took the bag to the corner of the yard, by the birdbath.
Nom nom nom. The earlier the better, in Leo’s opinion. Usually, someone brought out these crunchy, delicious little brown pellets around sunset. They put water in the birdbath and the pellets on a big flat stone in the corner, and he loved them for it.
“He’ll be fine,” Ashley said from the deck. “He’s a cat.”
“Bye,” Sophia said.
Nom nom nom.
The rest of the day was quiet. Leo got a good nap in.
The next morning was quiet, too. Leo thought it was strange that nobody came out to see him. That afternoon was quiet, again.
When the sun fully set, he realized no one was coming to fill the birdbath that day. No one put food on the big stone for him. It had happened before, once in a while, but this time felt different.
Leo sat alone in the darkness.
Another day came and went. No food, no water, and no humans. Leo’s stomach growled. He licked the bottom of the dry birdbath. He sniffed around the big empty stone. He remembered catching mice and birds with his brothers and sisters when he was very young. But his mother was gone. His siblings had all moved out of Richmond Place, and he’d grown plump and happy with Sophia feeding him ever since.
One afternoon, the hot sun hid behind grey clouds. Leo took shelter under the deck when the rain came. He wished someone would come out and pet him. His stomach growled, but that wasn’t why he was sad. Watching the birdbath fill up with water, he realized why.
I miss my humans.
Stretching all four legs and all 18 toes, Leo rolled onto his other side. His tail slapped the wood of the deck. A familiar grinding sound pulled him from his nap. My humans!
Leo looked to see the glass door sliding open. My humans are home! he thought, trotting over to greet them.
“KITTY!”
AAAHHHH!!!!!
It was not Sophia, Ashley, or Matthew. It was not his humans. A big male and a big female stood behind a tiny child.
“Kitty!” the boy screamed again, with a big, open-mouthed smile and two hands reaching out to grab Leo. “Kitty!” he screamed, running onto the deck.
“Ahh!” Leo meowed loudly, sprinting away.
Just before the child could grab him, the cat took shelter under the deck.
“Don’t touch that thing,” the big male said, picking up the bird bath. “Probably has fleas.” And he dropped the birdbath in the trash can on the side of the house.
Where are MY humans?
Midday, Leo thought. Too hot for a chubby tabby cat, with the sun high in the sky.
He stood with his back legs straight up, sliding his front paws far forward, with eyes closed, into a big cat stretch. Then he sauntered down the steps to take shelter in the shade below the deck.
Life was good. But he was a little irritated that day. Naptime had been interrupted, again. Early yesterday, an orange and white truck arrived. Matthew backed it into the driveway. A metal ramp clanged onto the cement. Leo had never seen his human drive anything like that before. All day long, Matthew and Ashley slammed tables and banged couches, dragging them out of the house. So many boxes. They were back at it again today. Leo pressed one ear to the soft dirt and put a paw over the other, trying to go back to sleep.
“LEOOOOOOOOO?”
The cat’s ears perked up. It was his favorite human, and the smallest in the family, Sophia.
“Leo?” she called again, closing the sliding glass door behind her.
“Leo!” She smiled and met the cat on the steps.
She prattled on and on about some place called “Ohio,” while Leo rubbed against her legs. He flopped on the grass, and the girl petted him. She sounded a little sad, talking about how many hours it would take to get there, so Leo climbed into her lap. He loved Sophia as much as he loved ear scratches, but he wasn’t too fond of hugs. He didn’t like to feel trapped, even for a second. But he let her hug him when he could tell she needed it.
“Here, honey,” Ashley said from the doorway. Leo jumped down as Sophia jumped up. Just the crinkly sound of that bag got Leo excited. “I know it’s early, but we gotta go soon.”
“I know.” Sophia took the bag to the corner of the yard, by the birdbath.
Nom nom nom. The earlier the better, in Leo’s opinion. Usually, someone brought out these crunchy, delicious little brown pellets around sunset. They put water in the birdbath and the pellets on a big flat stone in the corner, and he loved them for it.
“He’ll be fine,” Ashley said from the deck. “He’s a cat.”
“Bye,” Sophia said.
Nom nom nom.
The rest of the day was quiet. Leo got a good nap in.
The next morning was quiet, too. Leo thought it was strange that nobody came out to see him. That afternoon was quiet, again.
When the sun fully set, he realized no one was coming to fill the birdbath that day. No one put food on the big stone for him. It had happened before, once in a while, but this time felt different.
Leo sat alone in the darkness.
Another day came and went. No food, no water, and no humans. Leo’s stomach growled. He licked the bottom of the dry birdbath. He sniffed around the big empty stone. He remembered catching mice and birds with his brothers and sisters when he was very young. But his mother was gone. His siblings had all moved out of Richmond Place, and he’d grown plump and happy with Sophia feeding him ever since.
One afternoon, the hot sun hid behind grey clouds. Leo took shelter under the deck when the rain came. He wished someone would come out and pet him. His stomach growled, but that wasn’t why he was sad. Watching the birdbath fill up with water, he realized why.
I miss my humans.
Stretching all four legs and all 18 toes, Leo rolled onto his other side. His tail slapped the wood of the deck. A familiar grinding sound pulled him from his nap. My humans!
Leo looked to see the glass door sliding open. My humans are home! he thought, trotting over to greet them.
“KITTY!”
AAAHHHH!!!!!
It was not Sophia, Ashley, or Matthew. It was not his humans. A big male and a big female stood behind a tiny child.
“Kitty!” the boy screamed again, with a big, open-mouthed smile and two hands reaching out to grab Leo. “Kitty!” he screamed, running onto the deck.
“Ahh!” Leo meowed loudly, sprinting away.
Just before the child could grab him, the cat took shelter under the deck.
“Don’t touch that thing,” the big male said, picking up the bird bath. “Probably has fleas.” And he dropped the birdbath in the trash can on the side of the house.
Where are MY humans?
On His Way Home Part 2
Not My Humans
by Jeffrey Pax
Stretching all four legs and all 18 toes, Leo woke. For several seconds, he was happy and comfortable, then he remembered.
He looked around at the strange furniture on his deck. He looked at the patch of dead grass where he used to drink from a birdbath beside the big flat stone that used to have food for him. He remembered the family he loved and missed.
“Shoo!” the large female clapped her hands and stomped her feet, coming through the sliding glass door. “Get outta here!”
Hunkering under the deck, Leo remembered how things had changed.
The smallest of these humans was Leo’s least favorite, all noise and grabbing hands. It was so loud, stomping around on the deck, for such a little human. Leo wanted nothing to do with it, but he did want what was in its hand.
Mild milky sweetness, Leo followed his nose out from under the deck, up the steps, and toward the little human, with a cheese stick in his pudgy fist.
“KITTY!” the boy squealed, dropping his snack.
With hunger-fueled bravery, Leo dove for it.
“KITTY!” the boy squealed delightedly, patting Leo’s back so hard it could be called slapping.
Leo groaned, through a mouthful of mozzarella, and ran off.
“NO!” the big female said, setting a glass pot full of plastic flowers on the deck beside her child, who started crying the moment he saw that his snack had been taken. “You evil creature.”
Leo hadn’t eaten in days. He gobbled down the salty, delicious cheese on the flat stone that used to have food for him every evening.
The female stomped back into the house, returning with a broom. “Now I’ll get you!” she said through clenched teeth. With her feet wide apart, she held the broom straight up by the end of the handle. In one motion, she brought it down like the big sledgehammer at a carnival Strongman game. SLAP, it hit the stone. Leo was already gone, grumbling and hissing, from the other side of the yard.
“Get back here,” she sprinted after him, swinging the broom like a sword. Cornered, Leo ran one way, jumped, and pushed off the fence midair with his back feet, changing direction. The human tried to change direction just as quickly, but lost her balance and fell onto the grass. Laughing at her from the deck, the boy seemed to have forgotten all about his missing cheese stick.
“AHH!” the woman screamed.
Dashing around the inground pool and up the steps, Leo went between the boy and the flower pot. The boy lunged at the cat, and his mother swerved to avoid trampling him. Instead, she kicked the flower pot. It left a big crack in the sliding glass door, and shattered against it.
“OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!” she yelped, hopping on one foot. Then, with fire in her eyes, she saw Leo go back under the deck. “I’ll get you!” she shrieked, hopping down the steps.
Jabbing the broom at the frightened, hissing cat, she crouched beside the deck.
With no other choice, Leo pounced.
Stumbling backward, dropping the broom, the woman fell into the pool. The boy kept laughing as she screamed and splashed. With wet hair matted to her face, she climbed the ladder and stood on the grass. Then she took the phone from her pocket and screamed some more. “That’s IT!”
For a long time, Leo took shelter under the deck. For a long time, the woman’s phone sat in a bag of dry rice, in full sun, on the deck. Finally taking it out of the bag, she did a little happy dance when it lit up. Holding it a few inches from her face, she said, “Bryan… County… Animal… Control.”
Hours later, the sound of the side gate opening woke the cat. He went to investigate. Leo knew what it meant when he saw the weird little truck with cages on the back. More than one friend had disappeared into that truck before. But Leo never thought it would come here, for him.
His humans, his family, had left. They didn’t take him with them, and they weren’t coming back.
These humans live here, he thought. This is their house now.
“There it is,” the woman said to the man, as they entered the backyard. He held a catch pole, a metal stick with a choking loop on the end. “That’s the feral animal that attacked my child! Probably has rabies. Or at least feline AIDS. Get it. Protect us!”
Leo stood on the fence, turning his back to the home he’d lost, the home that was taken from him. With a swoosh, his paws landed in the grass on the outside of the fenced yard. He took a few quick steps and decided not to look back. He didn’t know where he was going, only away, forward, on.
He left behind being left behind.
He looked around at the strange furniture on his deck. He looked at the patch of dead grass where he used to drink from a birdbath beside the big flat stone that used to have food for him. He remembered the family he loved and missed.
“Shoo!” the large female clapped her hands and stomped her feet, coming through the sliding glass door. “Get outta here!”
Hunkering under the deck, Leo remembered how things had changed.
The smallest of these humans was Leo’s least favorite, all noise and grabbing hands. It was so loud, stomping around on the deck, for such a little human. Leo wanted nothing to do with it, but he did want what was in its hand.
Mild milky sweetness, Leo followed his nose out from under the deck, up the steps, and toward the little human, with a cheese stick in his pudgy fist.
“KITTY!” the boy squealed, dropping his snack.
With hunger-fueled bravery, Leo dove for it.
“KITTY!” the boy squealed delightedly, patting Leo’s back so hard it could be called slapping.
Leo groaned, through a mouthful of mozzarella, and ran off.
“NO!” the big female said, setting a glass pot full of plastic flowers on the deck beside her child, who started crying the moment he saw that his snack had been taken. “You evil creature.”
Leo hadn’t eaten in days. He gobbled down the salty, delicious cheese on the flat stone that used to have food for him every evening.
The female stomped back into the house, returning with a broom. “Now I’ll get you!” she said through clenched teeth. With her feet wide apart, she held the broom straight up by the end of the handle. In one motion, she brought it down like the big sledgehammer at a carnival Strongman game. SLAP, it hit the stone. Leo was already gone, grumbling and hissing, from the other side of the yard.
“Get back here,” she sprinted after him, swinging the broom like a sword. Cornered, Leo ran one way, jumped, and pushed off the fence midair with his back feet, changing direction. The human tried to change direction just as quickly, but lost her balance and fell onto the grass. Laughing at her from the deck, the boy seemed to have forgotten all about his missing cheese stick.
“AHH!” the woman screamed.
Dashing around the inground pool and up the steps, Leo went between the boy and the flower pot. The boy lunged at the cat, and his mother swerved to avoid trampling him. Instead, she kicked the flower pot. It left a big crack in the sliding glass door, and shattered against it.
“OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!” she yelped, hopping on one foot. Then, with fire in her eyes, she saw Leo go back under the deck. “I’ll get you!” she shrieked, hopping down the steps.
Jabbing the broom at the frightened, hissing cat, she crouched beside the deck.
With no other choice, Leo pounced.
Stumbling backward, dropping the broom, the woman fell into the pool. The boy kept laughing as she screamed and splashed. With wet hair matted to her face, she climbed the ladder and stood on the grass. Then she took the phone from her pocket and screamed some more. “That’s IT!”
For a long time, Leo took shelter under the deck. For a long time, the woman’s phone sat in a bag of dry rice, in full sun, on the deck. Finally taking it out of the bag, she did a little happy dance when it lit up. Holding it a few inches from her face, she said, “Bryan… County… Animal… Control.”
Hours later, the sound of the side gate opening woke the cat. He went to investigate. Leo knew what it meant when he saw the weird little truck with cages on the back. More than one friend had disappeared into that truck before. But Leo never thought it would come here, for him.
His humans, his family, had left. They didn’t take him with them, and they weren’t coming back.
These humans live here, he thought. This is their house now.
“There it is,” the woman said to the man, as they entered the backyard. He held a catch pole, a metal stick with a choking loop on the end. “That’s the feral animal that attacked my child! Probably has rabies. Or at least feline AIDS. Get it. Protect us!”
Leo stood on the fence, turning his back to the home he’d lost, the home that was taken from him. With a swoosh, his paws landed in the grass on the outside of the fenced yard. He took a few quick steps and decided not to look back. He didn’t know where he was going, only away, forward, on.
He left behind being left behind.
On His Way Home Part 3
Joining Us for Supper?
by Jeffrey Pax
After hopping a couple more fences, Leo came to the tree-lined canal he hadn’t bothered to cross in years. Not knowing how far from his old backyard home the man with the catch pole would search for him, Leo decided to go further than he’d ever traveled before. He traced along the canal until he found a hefty branch that had fallen across it.
He flicked his damp paws on the other side. Leo did not enjoy getting wet. More back yards. Some with pools, some with patios. The homes all looked about the same, but the cat had learned that the humans who lived in them could be very different. Leo kept walking. He’d had enough of humans for a while.
Hopping another fence, the cat found himself behind a large tan building. I guess I finally went farther than I’ve ever gone before, he thought, because I don’t know where I am.
His excellent night vision allowed him to see as the sun sank below the roof of the large building. I wonder if there’s anything to eat around here?
“Up, whoa… Hup, hup…” Coming from the tree line, a fluffy gaze of round raccoons approached. “Hup, up, whoa…” They all mumbled with every step, rocking their rotund grey bodies side to side as they walked.
“Up, whoa.”
“Hey, dere, buddy boy. I’m Roxy.”
“Leo.”
“You joining us for supper, den?”
Leo’s eyes lit up. “I would love to!”
“Welcome. Welcome. Welcome.” The other raccoons all answered in choral speech, repeating each other and overlapping the same word.
“Dis yer first time here, den?” Roxy asked.
Leo nodded.
“Welcome to de dumpster diner den!” Roxy pointed a front paw at the large metal container near the bottom of some stairs coming out of the building.
“First time. Welcome. First time. First time.” The other raccoons nodded to each other.
“De humans put a bunch of food in der for us,” Roxy said.
“Bunch of food. Humans. Bunch of food.”
“Great!” Leo hopped up to the top of the dumpster, sliding a little on his landing. The opening between the two grooved plastic lids let out a complex aroma. Leo sniffed around. There was plenty he didn’t like, but that metal box definitely held chicken. His mouth watered and his stomach growled as he dug at the gap with both paws.
“Um…” Roxy asked slowly. “Whatcha doin’ der, buddy boy?”
“There’s chicken in here!” Leo answered, digging furiously, without moving either lid at all.
“Sure is.”
“Sure is. Sure is. Bet der is.”
“Humans can make some pretty tricky boxes,” Roxy said. “Why don’t you let da pros handle it? We’ll just wash up first.”
“Who’s da pros? We’re da pros. We’re da pros? We’re da pros. We’re da pros.”
Leo hopped down, watching the whole gaze of raccoons gather around a nearby puddle. They dampened their little paws, scrubbing them together.
“You cats are great runners and jumpers,” Roxy said. Then she raised her front paws, curling and extending her ten long toes. “But nobody beats raccoons at opening humans’ tricky boxes.
“Up, whoa. Hup, whoa, up…” Several of the raccoons waddled over to a shopping cart. Standing on their hind legs, with front paws on the cart and dragging their black and grey striped tails, they pushed it toward the dumpster with a resonating clang. “Hup, hup, whoa.”
Roxy followed another raccoon up the side of the cart and onto the dumpster. He wrapped his paws around the edge of the lid and lifted. Roxy climbed in. Her mumbles echoed inside the metal box until she slid open a little door on the side. “Let’s see what’s on da menu tonight, den!”
“What’s on da menu? What’s on da menu?”
“Cabbages!”
“Cabbages. Cabbages. We got some cabbages.”
Roxy tossed out big wrinkled leaves. One raccoon, munching loudly, held a chunk up to Leo. The cat smiled, but shook his head.
“Nanners!” Roxy said from inside the dumpster.
“Nanners. I like nanners. Nanners. Nanners.”
One long, bruised, but mostly yellow banana landed at Leo’s feet. The cat sniffed it and frowned.
“Here’s dat chicken dere den!”
“Chicken. Chicken. Here comes da chicken.”
First breaded, then barbecue, and then boneless. Leo gobbled down chicken wings until he thought his stomach would burst. He lay on the warm pavement, surrounded by greasy bones, and closed his eyes gratefully. “Thanks for sharing,” he yawned.
“Likes da chicken. Likes da chicken. Da cat likes da chicken.”
“SCATTER!” Roxy shouted from the little door. The raccoons bounced off, spreading out in all directions.
Leo opened his eyes only to be blinded by headlights. He jumped to his feet but didn’t know which direction to go. Tires squealed as the speeding car came closer and closer.
He flicked his damp paws on the other side. Leo did not enjoy getting wet. More back yards. Some with pools, some with patios. The homes all looked about the same, but the cat had learned that the humans who lived in them could be very different. Leo kept walking. He’d had enough of humans for a while.
Hopping another fence, the cat found himself behind a large tan building. I guess I finally went farther than I’ve ever gone before, he thought, because I don’t know where I am.
His excellent night vision allowed him to see as the sun sank below the roof of the large building. I wonder if there’s anything to eat around here?
“Up, whoa… Hup, hup…” Coming from the tree line, a fluffy gaze of round raccoons approached. “Hup, up, whoa…” They all mumbled with every step, rocking their rotund grey bodies side to side as they walked.
“Up, whoa.”
“Hey, dere, buddy boy. I’m Roxy.”
“Leo.”
“You joining us for supper, den?”
Leo’s eyes lit up. “I would love to!”
“Welcome. Welcome. Welcome.” The other raccoons all answered in choral speech, repeating each other and overlapping the same word.
“Dis yer first time here, den?” Roxy asked.
Leo nodded.
“Welcome to de dumpster diner den!” Roxy pointed a front paw at the large metal container near the bottom of some stairs coming out of the building.
“First time. Welcome. First time. First time.” The other raccoons nodded to each other.
“De humans put a bunch of food in der for us,” Roxy said.
“Bunch of food. Humans. Bunch of food.”
“Great!” Leo hopped up to the top of the dumpster, sliding a little on his landing. The opening between the two grooved plastic lids let out a complex aroma. Leo sniffed around. There was plenty he didn’t like, but that metal box definitely held chicken. His mouth watered and his stomach growled as he dug at the gap with both paws.
“Um…” Roxy asked slowly. “Whatcha doin’ der, buddy boy?”
“There’s chicken in here!” Leo answered, digging furiously, without moving either lid at all.
“Sure is.”
“Sure is. Sure is. Bet der is.”
“Humans can make some pretty tricky boxes,” Roxy said. “Why don’t you let da pros handle it? We’ll just wash up first.”
“Who’s da pros? We’re da pros. We’re da pros? We’re da pros. We’re da pros.”
Leo hopped down, watching the whole gaze of raccoons gather around a nearby puddle. They dampened their little paws, scrubbing them together.
“You cats are great runners and jumpers,” Roxy said. Then she raised her front paws, curling and extending her ten long toes. “But nobody beats raccoons at opening humans’ tricky boxes.
“Up, whoa. Hup, whoa, up…” Several of the raccoons waddled over to a shopping cart. Standing on their hind legs, with front paws on the cart and dragging their black and grey striped tails, they pushed it toward the dumpster with a resonating clang. “Hup, hup, whoa.”
Roxy followed another raccoon up the side of the cart and onto the dumpster. He wrapped his paws around the edge of the lid and lifted. Roxy climbed in. Her mumbles echoed inside the metal box until she slid open a little door on the side. “Let’s see what’s on da menu tonight, den!”
“What’s on da menu? What’s on da menu?”
“Cabbages!”
“Cabbages. Cabbages. We got some cabbages.”
Roxy tossed out big wrinkled leaves. One raccoon, munching loudly, held a chunk up to Leo. The cat smiled, but shook his head.
“Nanners!” Roxy said from inside the dumpster.
“Nanners. I like nanners. Nanners. Nanners.”
One long, bruised, but mostly yellow banana landed at Leo’s feet. The cat sniffed it and frowned.
“Here’s dat chicken dere den!”
“Chicken. Chicken. Here comes da chicken.”
First breaded, then barbecue, and then boneless. Leo gobbled down chicken wings until he thought his stomach would burst. He lay on the warm pavement, surrounded by greasy bones, and closed his eyes gratefully. “Thanks for sharing,” he yawned.
“Likes da chicken. Likes da chicken. Da cat likes da chicken.”
“SCATTER!” Roxy shouted from the little door. The raccoons bounced off, spreading out in all directions.
Leo opened his eyes only to be blinded by headlights. He jumped to his feet but didn’t know which direction to go. Tires squealed as the speeding car came closer and closer.
On His Way Home Part 4
Parking Lot Peril
by Jeffrey Pax
“SCATTER!” Roxy shouted again from the dumpster. The other raccoons waddled quickly toward the wall or the trees as tires squealed and the speeding car came closer and closer. In one leap, Leo the cat got out of the roadway. He scurried between the dumpster and the wall, faster than any raccoon could move. Looking back, Leo saw one young raccoon still in the roadway. He stood on his hind legs, mouth open, with the approaching headlights shining in his eyes.
“Ronny, NO!” the raccoons yelled.
The driver pulled the steering wheel hard. Rims sparked as both tires on the driver’s side bumped up onto the curb. The roadway behind the building was narrow, but he managed to miss Ronny.
As that car sped past, the animals found a second car coming up fast behind it. This one gave no signs of swerving to miss the little raccoon.
Without thinking, Leo dashed across the pavement. He snatched little Ronny by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the other side of the roadway. A rush of wind blew his fur sideways as the second car’s bumper clipped the tip of the cat’s tail with a thump.
After looking both ways to make sure it was safe, all the raccoons gathered around Leo, cheering and talking over each other. “Way ta go, buddy boy! Great job! You da best. You da best. He’s da best!”
“You saved me!” Ronny said. Leo tried to speak but only managed to cough out a clump of gray fur. Ronny, Roxy, and the whole gaze leaned in for a fluffy group hug. Leo felt sharp little paws squeezing in from all sides. He was glad to help, and it felt good to be thanked, but this was a little overwhelming for him.
“Okay, okay,” the cat said, pulling away from the pile of round, hugging raccoons. “I’m happy everyone’s okay.”
“Yer a good guy to have around,” Roxy said.
“Good guy. Good guy. What a guy?”
“See, cars come through here all da time,” Roxy explained. “Not usually dat fast doh.”
“All the time?” Leo asked, suddenly missing the safety of his old backyard home.
“All da time. Lots o’ times. All da time.”
“Then, why do you keep coming here?”
“Well, see,” Roxy said, “Da problem is dat de humans put our food in dat dere big metal box, see. And it’s right by dis here roadway here. So, deres lots o’ cars.”
“Lots o’ car. Lots o’ cars.”
“Wow,” Leo said. “Thank you very much for the chicken…”
“Good chicken. Good chicken. Dat was some good chicken.”
“...but this is clearly not the place for me. It’s just too dangerous behind this big building.”
After saying their goodbyes and one more fluffy group hug, Leo trotted back to the corner of the large tan building. He could see a road leading back into the neighborhood where he used to live. He turned and waved a paw to the gaze of raccoons. They waved back with their eyes glowing in the streetlights. Leo went forward, away from his old neighborhood, past the roadway with its dumpster, toward the front of the big tan building.
“Is he going out front?” Ronny asked.
“It’s even worse out dere,” Roxy said.
“Even worse. Even worse. Out front’s da worst.”
Walking along the wall, Leo listened to the great commotion before him.
A flash of headlights blinded him at the corner. He turned back, but was startled by another set of headlights behind him and the loud popping of a motorcycle coming from somewhere behind that. He sprinted forward. Ducking under the chairs of a patio furniture display, he was startled by the clang of a barbecue lid slamming shut. He ran forward, skidding between stomping feet. Several humans swung big gray metal tanks around as they walked. Hiding behind some potted palms, Leo tried to catch his breath, but two hands almost grabbed him as they scooped up one of the pots. “Oh, look!” a human female said. “It’s a little kittalee,” and she reached in toward him. Screaming and hissing, Leo ran forward. Flashing lights, beeping machines, stomping feet, and a herd of rattling, squeaking shopping carts stampeded through a doorway. Turning before he was trampled, Leo ran across the black pavement. He stopped to let one car pass in front of him, then sprinted to avoid being hit by one coming from the other direction. He ran straight away from the building, but heard even faster traffic up ahead.
TREES! He saw the safety of trees in the distance. The rush of a busy road to his right, the crush of banging, jostling humans to his left, and cars, cars, everywhere there were CARS!
A clear path opened up, and Leo made a mad dash for the treeline.
“Ronny, NO!” the raccoons yelled.
The driver pulled the steering wheel hard. Rims sparked as both tires on the driver’s side bumped up onto the curb. The roadway behind the building was narrow, but he managed to miss Ronny.
As that car sped past, the animals found a second car coming up fast behind it. This one gave no signs of swerving to miss the little raccoon.
Without thinking, Leo dashed across the pavement. He snatched little Ronny by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the other side of the roadway. A rush of wind blew his fur sideways as the second car’s bumper clipped the tip of the cat’s tail with a thump.
After looking both ways to make sure it was safe, all the raccoons gathered around Leo, cheering and talking over each other. “Way ta go, buddy boy! Great job! You da best. You da best. He’s da best!”
“You saved me!” Ronny said. Leo tried to speak but only managed to cough out a clump of gray fur. Ronny, Roxy, and the whole gaze leaned in for a fluffy group hug. Leo felt sharp little paws squeezing in from all sides. He was glad to help, and it felt good to be thanked, but this was a little overwhelming for him.
“Okay, okay,” the cat said, pulling away from the pile of round, hugging raccoons. “I’m happy everyone’s okay.”
“Yer a good guy to have around,” Roxy said.
“Good guy. Good guy. What a guy?”
“See, cars come through here all da time,” Roxy explained. “Not usually dat fast doh.”
“All the time?” Leo asked, suddenly missing the safety of his old backyard home.
“All da time. Lots o’ times. All da time.”
“Then, why do you keep coming here?”
“Well, see,” Roxy said, “Da problem is dat de humans put our food in dat dere big metal box, see. And it’s right by dis here roadway here. So, deres lots o’ cars.”
“Lots o’ car. Lots o’ cars.”
“Wow,” Leo said. “Thank you very much for the chicken…”
“Good chicken. Good chicken. Dat was some good chicken.”
“...but this is clearly not the place for me. It’s just too dangerous behind this big building.”
After saying their goodbyes and one more fluffy group hug, Leo trotted back to the corner of the large tan building. He could see a road leading back into the neighborhood where he used to live. He turned and waved a paw to the gaze of raccoons. They waved back with their eyes glowing in the streetlights. Leo went forward, away from his old neighborhood, past the roadway with its dumpster, toward the front of the big tan building.
“Is he going out front?” Ronny asked.
“It’s even worse out dere,” Roxy said.
“Even worse. Even worse. Out front’s da worst.”
Walking along the wall, Leo listened to the great commotion before him.
A flash of headlights blinded him at the corner. He turned back, but was startled by another set of headlights behind him and the loud popping of a motorcycle coming from somewhere behind that. He sprinted forward. Ducking under the chairs of a patio furniture display, he was startled by the clang of a barbecue lid slamming shut. He ran forward, skidding between stomping feet. Several humans swung big gray metal tanks around as they walked. Hiding behind some potted palms, Leo tried to catch his breath, but two hands almost grabbed him as they scooped up one of the pots. “Oh, look!” a human female said. “It’s a little kittalee,” and she reached in toward him. Screaming and hissing, Leo ran forward. Flashing lights, beeping machines, stomping feet, and a herd of rattling, squeaking shopping carts stampeded through a doorway. Turning before he was trampled, Leo ran across the black pavement. He stopped to let one car pass in front of him, then sprinted to avoid being hit by one coming from the other direction. He ran straight away from the building, but heard even faster traffic up ahead.
TREES! He saw the safety of trees in the distance. The rush of a busy road to his right, the crush of banging, jostling humans to his left, and cars, cars, everywhere there were CARS!
A clear path opened up, and Leo made a mad dash for the treeline.
On His Way Home Part 5
Fish Fry
by Jeffrey Pax
Leo the cat was wide awake at the first glimpse of hazy orange dawn. He looked up and down the skinny strip of trees he’d taken cover in, after surviving the parking lot the night before. Even at this early hour, he could hear speeding traffic from the busy street in the distance. Behind him were friends and food, but also the dangers of cars and humans. There was only one way to go. Forward.
Even after the big chicken dinner he’d had, Leo was ready for breakfast. His stomach rumbled as his paws padded along broken twigs and brown leaves until he stepped onto the dewy grass at the far side of the trees. He smelled the earthy dampness of standing water before spotting it.
The lawn was green and trimmed short, like his old backyard home. But here, instead of houses and fences, there were enormous ponds. They were all slightly different shades of blue-green, mostly rectangles, side by side in long rows, and each one had a huge faucet at one end pouring water into it.
Curious, as cats naturally are, Leo trotted up to the first pond.
FISH!
Back in his wild younger days, before crunchy pellets of deliciousness were delivered to him daily, Leo had caught a fish or two from the canal. This must be where they came from, he thought. But Leo had never seen fish this size.
One pond held bluegills, with their light olive green scales. These fish were almost as long as the cat himself. He was sure he could eat one, but didn’t know how he’d go about catching it first. Then he found redear sunfish in the next pond. These were a little larger than the bluegills. The largemouth bass in the next pond were twice that size. Leo gave up on his dream of fish for breakfast when he reached the pond of striped bass. They were so large that if he stuck a paw in the water, they might eat him.
Looking both ways and then crossing an empty little street, the cat came to another row of ponds. These had all the same kinds of fish, but not the same sizes. These were the fry, the young that had been born that spring. They were only about half as long as his tail.
Leo did not like going in the water, but he decided a full belly was worth a wet paw. He swatted at some fry as they splashed around where the faucet poured into the pond. Too much water splattered his face. He moved to a calmer part of the pond. Twice, he nudged a fish just below the surface. Once he felt that snap of a claw snagging flesh, but the fish wriggled free. And he got a splash in the face for his trouble. He shook his head, twitched his ears, and decided he was already about as wet as he could get.
Putting both front paws at the water’s edge, he wobbled back and forth on his rear legs until a fish came near. With flaring claws and an open mouth, he dove headfirst into the water.
Soaked from nose to tail, he emerged with a flapping fish in his teeth. He brought it onto the dry grass and ate. Then he caught another.
This will do.
He looked around at the lawns and ponds after licking his fur clean. What else could I need, besides a nap? The sun rose above the trees as Leo rolled onto his side and settled into happy dreams of his happy life, here in his new home.
The fish in his dreams splashed more and more until he awoke to find the ponds filled with huge birds. Great blue herons and dazzlingly white great egrets were everywhere. Leo had seen them fly overhead, but never stood next to one before. They had huge, sharp beaks at the ends of their long necks, and huge, sharp claws at the ends of their long legs.
One heron pulled his head from the water, swallowing a fish, and looked right at Leo as he stood up.
“INTRUDER!” the heron shouted.
Squawking beaks and flapping wings came at him from all sides. Between two long rectangular ponds, Leo was on a narrow strip of land, surrounded by angry birds five times his size.
The great blue heron squawked again, “GET HIM!”
Even after the big chicken dinner he’d had, Leo was ready for breakfast. His stomach rumbled as his paws padded along broken twigs and brown leaves until he stepped onto the dewy grass at the far side of the trees. He smelled the earthy dampness of standing water before spotting it.
The lawn was green and trimmed short, like his old backyard home. But here, instead of houses and fences, there were enormous ponds. They were all slightly different shades of blue-green, mostly rectangles, side by side in long rows, and each one had a huge faucet at one end pouring water into it.
Curious, as cats naturally are, Leo trotted up to the first pond.
FISH!
Back in his wild younger days, before crunchy pellets of deliciousness were delivered to him daily, Leo had caught a fish or two from the canal. This must be where they came from, he thought. But Leo had never seen fish this size.
One pond held bluegills, with their light olive green scales. These fish were almost as long as the cat himself. He was sure he could eat one, but didn’t know how he’d go about catching it first. Then he found redear sunfish in the next pond. These were a little larger than the bluegills. The largemouth bass in the next pond were twice that size. Leo gave up on his dream of fish for breakfast when he reached the pond of striped bass. They were so large that if he stuck a paw in the water, they might eat him.
Looking both ways and then crossing an empty little street, the cat came to another row of ponds. These had all the same kinds of fish, but not the same sizes. These were the fry, the young that had been born that spring. They were only about half as long as his tail.
Leo did not like going in the water, but he decided a full belly was worth a wet paw. He swatted at some fry as they splashed around where the faucet poured into the pond. Too much water splattered his face. He moved to a calmer part of the pond. Twice, he nudged a fish just below the surface. Once he felt that snap of a claw snagging flesh, but the fish wriggled free. And he got a splash in the face for his trouble. He shook his head, twitched his ears, and decided he was already about as wet as he could get.
Putting both front paws at the water’s edge, he wobbled back and forth on his rear legs until a fish came near. With flaring claws and an open mouth, he dove headfirst into the water.
Soaked from nose to tail, he emerged with a flapping fish in his teeth. He brought it onto the dry grass and ate. Then he caught another.
This will do.
He looked around at the lawns and ponds after licking his fur clean. What else could I need, besides a nap? The sun rose above the trees as Leo rolled onto his side and settled into happy dreams of his happy life, here in his new home.
The fish in his dreams splashed more and more until he awoke to find the ponds filled with huge birds. Great blue herons and dazzlingly white great egrets were everywhere. Leo had seen them fly overhead, but never stood next to one before. They had huge, sharp beaks at the ends of their long necks, and huge, sharp claws at the ends of their long legs.
One heron pulled his head from the water, swallowing a fish, and looked right at Leo as he stood up.
“INTRUDER!” the heron shouted.
Squawking beaks and flapping wings came at him from all sides. Between two long rectangular ponds, Leo was on a narrow strip of land, surrounded by angry birds five times his size.
The great blue heron squawked again, “GET HIM!”
On His Way Home Part 6
Cat X-ing
by Jeffrey Pax
Waking from his happy dream about a safe place with plenty to eat, Leo the cat found himself surrounded by enormous and angry birds. Great egrets and great blue herons closed in from all sides.
“Get the intruder!” an egret squawked.
“These are our fish,” said another.
For a moment, Leo considered arguing that there were so many fish, and he would only eat two or three a day, that surely--
The thought was cut short by the snapping orange, dagger-like beak of a heron. She stood to her full height, flapping her giant wings. Each one was longer than Leo, from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail. The gust they produced was surprisingly strong. Snapping and flapping, the bird stepped forward.
With a low warbling roar, Leo lowered his head to the grass. Arching his back, the fur along his spine stood on end as his wagging tail puffed up. Putting on this show made him look larger than he was and stronger than he felt. A sideways walk and a hiss had no effect on the enemy. He had claws, of course, but these birds had claws of their own.
Leo turned on the narrow strip of land between two long rectangular ponds, where he had been napping so peacefully only moments before. He only made it a few paces before he reached a group of egrets. They were smaller than the heron, but still larger than anything he wanted to fight. And with several together, the cat knew he was outmatched.
More and more of these birds fluttered in from other ponds. While puffing his fur, hissing and spitting toward the birds, Leo looked around for anything he could use. The birds on land moved easily and fluttered to cover great distances quickly. The ones standing in the ponds took slow, deliberate steps.
With a thud, the great blue heron whipped her long neck out like a spear, stabbing her sharp beak into the damp earth. The cat barely pulled his paw away in time. THUD, the spearheaded bird shook the ground with another strike, only missing Leo because he jumped back.
There wasn’t enough land between the water to dodge around all the birds. Leo took a deep breath and plunged into the pond, hoping he could outswim their cautious underwater steps. Angry squawks from snapping beaks and loose feathers from flapping wings filled the air as Leo let out a sad little meow. He paddled across the narrow pond and onto the opposite bank. With fewer birds in the way, the cat put his head down and ran to the end of the ponds, toward another treeline. A few feathered enemies followed. So, Leo kept running.
Coming out of the trees, the cat ran between several flat white stones. They stuck straight out of the ground and stood a little taller than he. Then he hopped a white wooden fence and ran some more. He came alongside that busy road he’d heard before. He slowed down around a corner and reached another parking lot. He’d learned from the last one how dangerous those could be. Several smiling humans came out of a building with stacks of books in their hands.
A little more grass, a little street, another building, another parking lot, then another building again. Leo wasn’t running from the birds anymore, but none of these places looked good enough for a nap, so he already knew this was not his new home. Another little street, another parking lot.
The busy road on his right became more and more crowded with cars and trucks. There were six cars, side by side, between him and the other side of that road. Maybe he could outrun some birds, but he knew he could never cross a road that wide without being hit. Going through another parking lot, Leo saw another busy road in front of him, just as full of rumbling, rolling vehicles. Sitting at the corner, Leo thought, I might have to find somewhere in these parking lots to live. I can never get across these roads.
Then, all at once, the cars in front of him slowed down. Then they all stopped. Leo had seen many cars, one or two at a time, in his old neighborhood. They would stop and go, one or two at a time. But this amazed him. Then all the cars to his right stopped, and the ones in front of him started moving again.
Leo decided to watch for a while and see if he could figure out a pattern at this intersection.
Maybe, if I time it just right, I can get across these roads.
“Get the intruder!” an egret squawked.
“These are our fish,” said another.
For a moment, Leo considered arguing that there were so many fish, and he would only eat two or three a day, that surely--
The thought was cut short by the snapping orange, dagger-like beak of a heron. She stood to her full height, flapping her giant wings. Each one was longer than Leo, from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail. The gust they produced was surprisingly strong. Snapping and flapping, the bird stepped forward.
With a low warbling roar, Leo lowered his head to the grass. Arching his back, the fur along his spine stood on end as his wagging tail puffed up. Putting on this show made him look larger than he was and stronger than he felt. A sideways walk and a hiss had no effect on the enemy. He had claws, of course, but these birds had claws of their own.
Leo turned on the narrow strip of land between two long rectangular ponds, where he had been napping so peacefully only moments before. He only made it a few paces before he reached a group of egrets. They were smaller than the heron, but still larger than anything he wanted to fight. And with several together, the cat knew he was outmatched.
More and more of these birds fluttered in from other ponds. While puffing his fur, hissing and spitting toward the birds, Leo looked around for anything he could use. The birds on land moved easily and fluttered to cover great distances quickly. The ones standing in the ponds took slow, deliberate steps.
With a thud, the great blue heron whipped her long neck out like a spear, stabbing her sharp beak into the damp earth. The cat barely pulled his paw away in time. THUD, the spearheaded bird shook the ground with another strike, only missing Leo because he jumped back.
There wasn’t enough land between the water to dodge around all the birds. Leo took a deep breath and plunged into the pond, hoping he could outswim their cautious underwater steps. Angry squawks from snapping beaks and loose feathers from flapping wings filled the air as Leo let out a sad little meow. He paddled across the narrow pond and onto the opposite bank. With fewer birds in the way, the cat put his head down and ran to the end of the ponds, toward another treeline. A few feathered enemies followed. So, Leo kept running.
Coming out of the trees, the cat ran between several flat white stones. They stuck straight out of the ground and stood a little taller than he. Then he hopped a white wooden fence and ran some more. He came alongside that busy road he’d heard before. He slowed down around a corner and reached another parking lot. He’d learned from the last one how dangerous those could be. Several smiling humans came out of a building with stacks of books in their hands.
A little more grass, a little street, another building, another parking lot, then another building again. Leo wasn’t running from the birds anymore, but none of these places looked good enough for a nap, so he already knew this was not his new home. Another little street, another parking lot.
The busy road on his right became more and more crowded with cars and trucks. There were six cars, side by side, between him and the other side of that road. Maybe he could outrun some birds, but he knew he could never cross a road that wide without being hit. Going through another parking lot, Leo saw another busy road in front of him, just as full of rumbling, rolling vehicles. Sitting at the corner, Leo thought, I might have to find somewhere in these parking lots to live. I can never get across these roads.
Then, all at once, the cars in front of him slowed down. Then they all stopped. Leo had seen many cars, one or two at a time, in his old neighborhood. They would stop and go, one or two at a time. But this amazed him. Then all the cars to his right stopped, and the ones in front of him started moving again.
Leo decided to watch for a while and see if he could figure out a pattern at this intersection.
Maybe, if I time it just right, I can get across these roads.
On His Way Home Part 7
Crash
by Jeffrey Pax
Six lanes of cars slowly rolled forward in front of Leo the cat. They went faster, then slower, until they stopped. Then six lanes of cars rolled forward on the cat’s right. They went faster, then slower, then stopped. The pattern repeated.
I can’t go when they’re going, Leo thought. Those cars start out slow, but they get faster.
Stop and go. Leo watched again.
They don’t all go all the time. The ones on one road or the other are always stopped. Maybe if I time it just right… Leo watched cars on one road stop before the cars on the other began again. I can get across these roads.
The cat imagined running forward alongside the cars to his right, as they rolled past the stopped cars on his left. I can make it.
The cars to his right stopped. He watched the cars in front of him speed up, then when they started to slow down, the cat sprinted forward. I’m going to make it!
One foot in front of the other, he trotted onto the street. As the cars on his right sped up, so did Leo. Pushing forward off his back legs, he reached forward with his front paws together. Bounding faster and faster, he jumped through the air. The moving wall of metal, glass, and tires rolled along to his right while the cars on his left waited for them to pass.
I’m going to make it!
The car to his right pulled ahead of him, then it turned a hard left, cutting him off. Leo skidded to a halt as the car behind that one followed, and then another followed after that. Cars to his left rumbled and waited while those to his right kept going forward and crossing in front of him.
Turn back! Leo thought, before these cars go again. He whirled around, running toward the sidewalk. Suddenly, the last lane of cars between him and the edge of the road rolled forward, turning right. The cat froze. He had moving cars on three sides… then he didn’t. They were gone.
The cat stepped forward cautiously. Before he tried, everything seemed so predictable, but once he started, nothing made any sense at all.
Staring across the wide open pavement, Leo crouched down. The low rumble of engines behind him roared to life as all the cars rolled forward.
The cat sprinted. No memory of which way he had come from or where he was going, all he knew was to run from danger. The wall of cars rolled faster and faster toward him. Then a small green car cut him off. The driver, an older woman with white hair braided on only one side of her head, looked down at him with a strange smile. For a moment Leo thought it might be the same car that almost hit him behind the large tan building the night before. Startled out of his memory, Leo had to sprint to keep out from under her car. He ran faster and looked around for an escape. Getting his bearings, he saw that he was only two lanes away from the edge of the road. Can I make it?
The wall of cars behind him rolled by as he dashed out of their way. But the wall of cars Leo hadn’t noticed on the other side of the street came rolling toward him just as quickly. It was too far to go back, and stopping there was not an option, so Leo blasted forward. The cars coming from his right came closer and closer.
CRASH!
Squealing tires, slamming metal, cracking plastic, boomed so loudly Leo felt it in his chest. A dusting of shattered glass twinkled across the cement. Carefully stepping around the sharp sparkling danger, Leo looked up to see the woman in her little green car. Both of the cars that had almost run over Leo had crashed into hers instead. As all three drivers stepped out of their vehicles, the woman smiled and waved when Leo reached the grass on the other side of the road.
He ran and ran until he found some bushes to hide under and catch his breath. Panting, Leo watched the traffic stop and go, so steady, predictable, just as it had before.
No more busy roads, the cat promised himself. When he felt calm enough to move on, he kept his distance from the loud road on his right. More parking lots, more buildings. Leo walked on until the faint whiff of hot dogs and hamburgers pulled him to the left, down a narrow little street.
Leo passed under a large metal sign, with posts on both sides and white letters overhead. Then he cut across a green field, toward a playground and pavilion. Leo had seen two sides of humans, kind and otherwise, but the scent of that barbecue was overpowering. So, he approached the picnic area cautiously, hoping for leftovers.
I can’t go when they’re going, Leo thought. Those cars start out slow, but they get faster.
Stop and go. Leo watched again.
They don’t all go all the time. The ones on one road or the other are always stopped. Maybe if I time it just right… Leo watched cars on one road stop before the cars on the other began again. I can get across these roads.
The cat imagined running forward alongside the cars to his right, as they rolled past the stopped cars on his left. I can make it.
The cars to his right stopped. He watched the cars in front of him speed up, then when they started to slow down, the cat sprinted forward. I’m going to make it!
One foot in front of the other, he trotted onto the street. As the cars on his right sped up, so did Leo. Pushing forward off his back legs, he reached forward with his front paws together. Bounding faster and faster, he jumped through the air. The moving wall of metal, glass, and tires rolled along to his right while the cars on his left waited for them to pass.
I’m going to make it!
The car to his right pulled ahead of him, then it turned a hard left, cutting him off. Leo skidded to a halt as the car behind that one followed, and then another followed after that. Cars to his left rumbled and waited while those to his right kept going forward and crossing in front of him.
Turn back! Leo thought, before these cars go again. He whirled around, running toward the sidewalk. Suddenly, the last lane of cars between him and the edge of the road rolled forward, turning right. The cat froze. He had moving cars on three sides… then he didn’t. They were gone.
The cat stepped forward cautiously. Before he tried, everything seemed so predictable, but once he started, nothing made any sense at all.
Staring across the wide open pavement, Leo crouched down. The low rumble of engines behind him roared to life as all the cars rolled forward.
The cat sprinted. No memory of which way he had come from or where he was going, all he knew was to run from danger. The wall of cars rolled faster and faster toward him. Then a small green car cut him off. The driver, an older woman with white hair braided on only one side of her head, looked down at him with a strange smile. For a moment Leo thought it might be the same car that almost hit him behind the large tan building the night before. Startled out of his memory, Leo had to sprint to keep out from under her car. He ran faster and looked around for an escape. Getting his bearings, he saw that he was only two lanes away from the edge of the road. Can I make it?
The wall of cars behind him rolled by as he dashed out of their way. But the wall of cars Leo hadn’t noticed on the other side of the street came rolling toward him just as quickly. It was too far to go back, and stopping there was not an option, so Leo blasted forward. The cars coming from his right came closer and closer.
CRASH!
Squealing tires, slamming metal, cracking plastic, boomed so loudly Leo felt it in his chest. A dusting of shattered glass twinkled across the cement. Carefully stepping around the sharp sparkling danger, Leo looked up to see the woman in her little green car. Both of the cars that had almost run over Leo had crashed into hers instead. As all three drivers stepped out of their vehicles, the woman smiled and waved when Leo reached the grass on the other side of the road.
He ran and ran until he found some bushes to hide under and catch his breath. Panting, Leo watched the traffic stop and go, so steady, predictable, just as it had before.
No more busy roads, the cat promised himself. When he felt calm enough to move on, he kept his distance from the loud road on his right. More parking lots, more buildings. Leo walked on until the faint whiff of hot dogs and hamburgers pulled him to the left, down a narrow little street.
Leo passed under a large metal sign, with posts on both sides and white letters overhead. Then he cut across a green field, toward a playground and pavilion. Leo had seen two sides of humans, kind and otherwise, but the scent of that barbecue was overpowering. So, he approached the picnic area cautiously, hoping for leftovers.
On His Way Home Part 8
You, Again?
by Jeffrey Pax
Slinking through the tall grass, Leo the cat approached a picnic area. A toddler sat on a blanket near one pair of humans, while another pair stood near a grill. Crouching low, stepping lightly, Leo stalked his prey: the uncooked pile of meat on the table.
“See, the secret’s to put charcoal on one side,” the man by the grill said with a pleasant smile. “Then, you control the airflow and turn your kettle grill into an oven. Perfect for barbecue.”
“Everybody in my family uses gas grills,” the woman beside him responded. “But I take after my Uncle Cecil and put some wood chips in a foil pouch to give it that smoky flavor.”
The pair near the blanket clenched their fists. “It’s a public park!” the woman shouted. “How can we not be allowed to grill?”
“Ma’am, look around,” the man beside her waved his arms. “You see any built-in grills? Open flames aren’t allowed in J F Gregory Park.”
“Nice,” the other man said, opening the grill lid. “What kind of chips?”
“You know it’s got to be hickory!”
With a sly smile, the man held up his bag of charcoal, displaying the label.
“Okay, okay, okay,” the woman by the grill nodded approvingly. “You know what you’re doing with them tongs.
“Well,” the woman by the blanket almost screamed, “how are we supposed to know we can’t bring our own grill?”
“Maybe,” the man beside her raised his voice to match, “the two cops telling you about it could be a clue!”
While the humans distracted each other, Leo leaped onto the table.
Both humans by the blanket looked at the other two and shouted in unison, “Would you come help me?”
“KITTY!” the toddler on the blanket shrieked excitedly.
Leo froze, suddenly recognizing the family who had chased him from his old backyard home.
The woman shouted, and Leo hissed, in unison, “You, again?”
“That’s who you should be arresting!” the woman screamed.
“Ma’am, you’re not under arrest.” The police officer beside her furrowed his brow. “And that’s a cat.”
While the other three shrugged to each other, rolling their eyes, the woman grabbed a grill fork and lunged at Leo, screaming, “Get outta here!”
Red plastic cups, folded napkins, and a big platter of meat followed Leo to the ground as he dodged the woman’s sweeping arms.
“AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” she screamed. “It ruined my picnic!”
With a low warbling growl, Leo snatched a baby back rib in his mouth and dashed away, avoiding the large two-pronged fork as it flew after him. He ran across fields and parking lots until the trees closed in around him. On the trail through the woods, he stopped to eat his hard-earned meal. Leo wondered if the canal beside the trail had fish in it.
Maybe these woods could be my new home, he thought.
A floating branch went from the shore to a tall, skinny, dead tree sticking out of the canal. Carefully keeping his furry toes dry, Leo leaned his head down. Something underwater moved, coming into view. SPLASH
A baby alligator, just a little longer than Leo, burst from the water and snapped at his face. The cat dodged but saw another one coming from behind him.
Hissing and snarling, Leo tried to run back to land, but more gators cut him off. He backed up to the dead tree as one clamored onto the floating branch. Another popped up and clamped its jaws around Leo’s front leg. He yowled in pain.
“Do the thing!” one alligator urged.
“Death roll, death roll, DEATH ROLL!” the others all cheered.
The world became a wet, painful blur as Leo was rolled. Around and around, with teeth tearing into his leg, he was spun under water. Leo used his other three feet to dig his claws into the wood. When the spinning stopped, he slashed at the reptile’s face until it let go.
Coughing and sputtering, the cat pulled himself from the water while the baby alligator swam away.
“OW OW OW,” he let out his distress call. “Mamma! He hit me!”
“Mamma!” the whole pod of baby gators echoed. “OW OW OW,”
Mamma?
Water exploded all around the cat as the giant jaws of a full-grown alligator shattered the floating branch. Leo skittered up the dead tree while teeth, claws, and a massive, slashing tail tore off all its bark near the water.
Looking up, Leo climbed, slipping as loose bark sloughed off and fell to the churning, alligator-filled waters below. The top of the dead tree grazed the branches of trees growing on land. Climbing across was his only hope.
Then there was another powerful splash. Like the crackling of a bonfire mixed with the creaking of an old door, Leo heard the base of the dead tree start to give out. It leaned. He climbed to the top. The tree leaned further. The branches were now too far to reach. Leo looked down at the gaping and snapping mouths of six babies and one big mamma gator as the dead tree bent lower toward the water.
“See, the secret’s to put charcoal on one side,” the man by the grill said with a pleasant smile. “Then, you control the airflow and turn your kettle grill into an oven. Perfect for barbecue.”
“Everybody in my family uses gas grills,” the woman beside him responded. “But I take after my Uncle Cecil and put some wood chips in a foil pouch to give it that smoky flavor.”
The pair near the blanket clenched their fists. “It’s a public park!” the woman shouted. “How can we not be allowed to grill?”
“Ma’am, look around,” the man beside her waved his arms. “You see any built-in grills? Open flames aren’t allowed in J F Gregory Park.”
“Nice,” the other man said, opening the grill lid. “What kind of chips?”
“You know it’s got to be hickory!”
With a sly smile, the man held up his bag of charcoal, displaying the label.
“Okay, okay, okay,” the woman by the grill nodded approvingly. “You know what you’re doing with them tongs.
“Well,” the woman by the blanket almost screamed, “how are we supposed to know we can’t bring our own grill?”
“Maybe,” the man beside her raised his voice to match, “the two cops telling you about it could be a clue!”
While the humans distracted each other, Leo leaped onto the table.
Both humans by the blanket looked at the other two and shouted in unison, “Would you come help me?”
“KITTY!” the toddler on the blanket shrieked excitedly.
Leo froze, suddenly recognizing the family who had chased him from his old backyard home.
The woman shouted, and Leo hissed, in unison, “You, again?”
“That’s who you should be arresting!” the woman screamed.
“Ma’am, you’re not under arrest.” The police officer beside her furrowed his brow. “And that’s a cat.”
While the other three shrugged to each other, rolling their eyes, the woman grabbed a grill fork and lunged at Leo, screaming, “Get outta here!”
Red plastic cups, folded napkins, and a big platter of meat followed Leo to the ground as he dodged the woman’s sweeping arms.
“AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” she screamed. “It ruined my picnic!”
With a low warbling growl, Leo snatched a baby back rib in his mouth and dashed away, avoiding the large two-pronged fork as it flew after him. He ran across fields and parking lots until the trees closed in around him. On the trail through the woods, he stopped to eat his hard-earned meal. Leo wondered if the canal beside the trail had fish in it.
Maybe these woods could be my new home, he thought.
A floating branch went from the shore to a tall, skinny, dead tree sticking out of the canal. Carefully keeping his furry toes dry, Leo leaned his head down. Something underwater moved, coming into view. SPLASH
A baby alligator, just a little longer than Leo, burst from the water and snapped at his face. The cat dodged but saw another one coming from behind him.
Hissing and snarling, Leo tried to run back to land, but more gators cut him off. He backed up to the dead tree as one clamored onto the floating branch. Another popped up and clamped its jaws around Leo’s front leg. He yowled in pain.
“Do the thing!” one alligator urged.
“Death roll, death roll, DEATH ROLL!” the others all cheered.
The world became a wet, painful blur as Leo was rolled. Around and around, with teeth tearing into his leg, he was spun under water. Leo used his other three feet to dig his claws into the wood. When the spinning stopped, he slashed at the reptile’s face until it let go.
Coughing and sputtering, the cat pulled himself from the water while the baby alligator swam away.
“OW OW OW,” he let out his distress call. “Mamma! He hit me!”
“Mamma!” the whole pod of baby gators echoed. “OW OW OW,”
Mamma?
Water exploded all around the cat as the giant jaws of a full-grown alligator shattered the floating branch. Leo skittered up the dead tree while teeth, claws, and a massive, slashing tail tore off all its bark near the water.
Looking up, Leo climbed, slipping as loose bark sloughed off and fell to the churning, alligator-filled waters below. The top of the dead tree grazed the branches of trees growing on land. Climbing across was his only hope.
Then there was another powerful splash. Like the crackling of a bonfire mixed with the creaking of an old door, Leo heard the base of the dead tree start to give out. It leaned. He climbed to the top. The tree leaned further. The branches were now too far to reach. Leo looked down at the gaping and snapping mouths of six babies and one big mamma gator as the dead tree bent lower toward the water.
On His Way Home Part 9
You, Again?
by Jeffrey Pax
Creaking and crackling, wood fibers snapped. The dead tree leaned further toward the water. Leo the cat clung to the top. His wet paw, speckled with green duckweed, stretched toward the branch of a tree growing on land nearby. If he could reach it, he could climb to safety. If not…
Another splash of water and slash of Big Mamma Gator’s tail knocked the dead tree over even further. Leo almost lost his grip and fell to the six baby alligators, each a little bigger than him, swimming in the canal below.
I can swim! Leo looked down at the graceful gators. But… not faster than them. He kept thinking. Okay. I can jump! He looked up to the increasingly distant branches. But… not that far. He looked around for other options. I… “Meow.”
With another powerful splash, the mamma gator slammed into the base of the tree. A clump of Spanish moss shook free. It was snapped to pieces by the pod of baby alligators before it hit the water.
“Meow,” Leo cried sadly, alone at the top of the dead tree as it tipped further toward the water and the alligators, and…
“Up, whoa… Hup, hup…” Coming up the trunk of the nearest tree on land, a fluffy gaze of round raccoons climbed. “Hup, up, whoa…” They all mumbled with every step, rocking their rotund grey bodies side to side as they climbed. “Up, whoa.”
“Hey, dere, buddy boy,” said Roxy.
“HELP!” Leo screamed.
The raccoons looked down. Leo looked down. The alligators wagged their tongues below, looking upward.
“No!” Leo said. “Don’t. The alligators’ll get you, too.”
“But you’re our friend,” said little Ronny.
“Friends, friends, he’s our friend.” The other raccoons all answered in choral speech, repeating each other and overlapping the same word.
“Here, der, now,” Roxy commanded, “let’s climb!”
“Climbing, climbing, up we go,” the others answered.
With little Ronny leading the way, the chubby raccoons ascended the tree. Trunk to limb to branch, then Ronny put one front paw on the last stick. As the dead tree Leo was on leaned further down, the weight of all those raccoons bent the branch down to meet it.
“It’s working!” Leo cheered.
Big Mamma Gator slashed at the base of the dead tree again. Leo jumped off with all his might, stretching his long furry body. The claws of one paw sank into the bark of a thin little stick. The cat scrambled to grab on with his other paws. His body hung below like a sloth, only not nearly as calmly.
SPLASH
The dead tree collapsed into the canal. The alligators repositioned themselves below the cat again, just as that branch started to make the now familiar creaking and crackling sound, as wood fibers snapped.
“BACK UP!” Roxy shouted. The baby gators snapped their jaws below.
“Back up, back up, backn’ on up,” the other raccoons echoed.
Smooth and steady, the raccoons climbed from stick to branch to limb. Leo let out a pitiful little “meow” when the branch cracked. For a moment, he and Ronny dangled from the branch that swung like the pendulum in a grandfather clock. They scuttled up the branch and onto the solid limb. Leo followed the expert climbers, limb to limb and tree to tree, before they shimmied down a tree trunk and back onto dry land.
Leo couldn’t believe how glad he was to feel dirt beneath his paws again. “Thank you so—”
The sound of Roxy, Ronny, and all the other raccoons yelling “RUN!” was drowned out by the massive SPLASH. Big Mama and all her babies came up the gator slide out of the canal.
The furry mammals sprinted away, straight down the path. The alligators only pursued for a short distance before taking another gator slide back into the water. Panting and gasping, the chubby raccoons pulled Leo into a fuzzy group hug. They collapsed sideways laughing as Leo thanked them over and over for saving his life.
“Why, though?” Leo finally asked. “I saved Ronny from a car, so I know why he helped. But any one of you could have fallen. Why did you all risk your lives to help me?”
“I helped because you needed it,” Ronny said. “Not because I owed you.”
“And why did you help him when da car was coming?” Roxy asked. “What did you owe him? It’s nice to pay back a favor, but if you only help someone who already helped you, who would do da first favor?”
Cats do not naturally like hugs, but Leo was learning to appreciate them.
“Do da first favor,” the others said. “Do da first favor, do da first favor first.”
Another splash of water and slash of Big Mamma Gator’s tail knocked the dead tree over even further. Leo almost lost his grip and fell to the six baby alligators, each a little bigger than him, swimming in the canal below.
I can swim! Leo looked down at the graceful gators. But… not faster than them. He kept thinking. Okay. I can jump! He looked up to the increasingly distant branches. But… not that far. He looked around for other options. I… “Meow.”
With another powerful splash, the mamma gator slammed into the base of the tree. A clump of Spanish moss shook free. It was snapped to pieces by the pod of baby alligators before it hit the water.
“Meow,” Leo cried sadly, alone at the top of the dead tree as it tipped further toward the water and the alligators, and…
“Up, whoa… Hup, hup…” Coming up the trunk of the nearest tree on land, a fluffy gaze of round raccoons climbed. “Hup, up, whoa…” They all mumbled with every step, rocking their rotund grey bodies side to side as they climbed. “Up, whoa.”
“Hey, dere, buddy boy,” said Roxy.
“HELP!” Leo screamed.
The raccoons looked down. Leo looked down. The alligators wagged their tongues below, looking upward.
“No!” Leo said. “Don’t. The alligators’ll get you, too.”
“But you’re our friend,” said little Ronny.
“Friends, friends, he’s our friend.” The other raccoons all answered in choral speech, repeating each other and overlapping the same word.
“Here, der, now,” Roxy commanded, “let’s climb!”
“Climbing, climbing, up we go,” the others answered.
With little Ronny leading the way, the chubby raccoons ascended the tree. Trunk to limb to branch, then Ronny put one front paw on the last stick. As the dead tree Leo was on leaned further down, the weight of all those raccoons bent the branch down to meet it.
“It’s working!” Leo cheered.
Big Mamma Gator slashed at the base of the dead tree again. Leo jumped off with all his might, stretching his long furry body. The claws of one paw sank into the bark of a thin little stick. The cat scrambled to grab on with his other paws. His body hung below like a sloth, only not nearly as calmly.
SPLASH
The dead tree collapsed into the canal. The alligators repositioned themselves below the cat again, just as that branch started to make the now familiar creaking and crackling sound, as wood fibers snapped.
“BACK UP!” Roxy shouted. The baby gators snapped their jaws below.
“Back up, back up, backn’ on up,” the other raccoons echoed.
Smooth and steady, the raccoons climbed from stick to branch to limb. Leo let out a pitiful little “meow” when the branch cracked. For a moment, he and Ronny dangled from the branch that swung like the pendulum in a grandfather clock. They scuttled up the branch and onto the solid limb. Leo followed the expert climbers, limb to limb and tree to tree, before they shimmied down a tree trunk and back onto dry land.
Leo couldn’t believe how glad he was to feel dirt beneath his paws again. “Thank you so—”
The sound of Roxy, Ronny, and all the other raccoons yelling “RUN!” was drowned out by the massive SPLASH. Big Mama and all her babies came up the gator slide out of the canal.
The furry mammals sprinted away, straight down the path. The alligators only pursued for a short distance before taking another gator slide back into the water. Panting and gasping, the chubby raccoons pulled Leo into a fuzzy group hug. They collapsed sideways laughing as Leo thanked them over and over for saving his life.
“Why, though?” Leo finally asked. “I saved Ronny from a car, so I know why he helped. But any one of you could have fallen. Why did you all risk your lives to help me?”
“I helped because you needed it,” Ronny said. “Not because I owed you.”
“And why did you help him when da car was coming?” Roxy asked. “What did you owe him? It’s nice to pay back a favor, but if you only help someone who already helped you, who would do da first favor?”
Cats do not naturally like hugs, but Leo was learning to appreciate them.
“Do da first favor,” the others said. “Do da first favor, do da first favor first.”
On His Way Home Part 10
Where Do You Belong?
by Jeffrey Pax
After another fuzzy group hug, Leo the cat looked at the canal beside the walking path through the woods of J F Gregory Park. After the attack, being so close to the water made him nervous.
“Do you think alligators could be in this part of the canal?” Leo asked.
“Are we in coastal Georgia?” Ronny asked.
“Is it water?” Roxy asked.
“Yes,” said Leo.
“Den dere’s prob’ly gators in dere den,” said another raccoon.
Leo walked along with the gaze of raccoons until the path turned over a bridge where another canal joined the first.
“Do you think alligators could be in that canal?” Leo asked.
“Is it wet?” a raccoon asked. The others just blinked at him and tilted their heads.
“Got it,” Leo said. “All the water. Speaking of danger… How did you get across that street to come help me?”
“Dat dere intersection is dangerous,” Roxy agreed. “We always cross at night when dere’s fewer cars. When did you cross?”
“This morning,” Leo paused as the raccoons all gasped. “Around first light,”
“Not too bright, not too bright. Good guy, but not too bright,” the other raccoons mumbled to each other.
“Ya know, dere buddy boy,” Roxy said gently. “Maybe you should find a new human house to live in. Inside’s even safer den de back yard. Give it a tink.” She opened her eyes wide. “It’s right in yer name, dere! Is dat why day call you house cats? It’s where you belong?”
“I tried humans,” Leo said. “No thanks. Some were good, but some were awful.”
Ronny nodded. “I tink dere’s more good den bad. The bad ones just make more noise.”
“Were headin’ back dis way,” Roxy said. “We’ll sleep in da trees and cross back to de dumpster diner at nightfall. Wanna come?”
“Leo thought about the food. Then he remembered the cars in the road and parking lot, and the alligators in the canal. “What if I go this way?”
“Nottin’ but trees and marshy fields,” Roxy said.
“Sounds safer,” Leo thanked the gaze again for their help, and they parted ways.
The day grew warm, but so many trees provided plenty of shade. Stepping out of the tree line, Leo found a damp field. The low areas were squishy and wet, but the higher areas were baked dry by the sun. He found a dry spot for a long nap and awoke at dusk.
“Hello, there,” said an unfamiliar voice.
Leo turned around to find a furry grey creature almost exactly the same size as him. She had a cute pointy little face and a pink nose. Leo had seen many opossums pass through his old yard. He learned to eat all the food his humans gave him quickly, because if any was left out at nightfall, the yard would be full of these critters.
Virginia, the oppossum, introduced herself and welcomed Leo. Another opossum greeted him while dragging a clump of leaves back to her burrow. She had the leaves wrapped tightly in her prehensile tail, twisting and squeezing like an elephant’s trunk.
“Helllllllooooooo!” squeaked the seven little babies clinging to the fur on her back as she waddled through.
“Friendly neighbors,” Leo said. “Sun and shade. No cars or giant reptilian monsters trying to eat me… maybe this could be my new home.”
Virginia smiled back at him.
“If only there were something to eat.”
“There’s plenty to eat,” said a young male opossum hanging by his tail from a tree branch. He pointed a clawed and stubby toe toward the ground near Leo. “Earthworm.”
“Good eye,” Virginia gobbled it down.
Leo cringed at the sound. “There’s another,” he said, pointing a paw to the ground right under her. “Oh, a couple.”
Virginia stood on her hind legs, exposing her belly.
“OH NO!” Leo screamed. “They’re inside you! Are you wounded? Are they eating you?”
Just then, a hairless baby opossum flopped out of the opening in Virginia’s stomach. Then another.
“AAAHHHH!” Leo screamed again. “There’s rats crawling out of your body!”
“No, it’s fine,” said Virginia.
“Why is this happening?” Leo ran in frantic circles. “It’s like a nightmare!”
“STOP!” Virginia raised her voice. “I’m just nursing my babies. Why do some creatures react like this?”
Leo looked away, then back, then away again.
“Everything’s fine, but I suppose it is a bit odd to outsiders. We are the only marsupials around.” Virginia assured him. “My joeys are having breakfast in my pouch, and there are lots of things for you to eat here too.”
“I might stay if there’s good food,” the cat said, trying to act casually. “I’ve been searching for a new place to live, and everywhere I go seems great, but then there’s always one big problem or another. So, what have you got to eat around here, besides earthworms?”
Other opossums joined in to list the local delicacies.
“Grubs, cockroaches, spiders…” Leo’s smile faded. “Roadkill if it’s fresh enough…” Leo’s mouth fell open. “Venomous snakes, lots of those around…” Leo looked over his shoulder nervously. “And my favorite, ticks. This whole area’s full of ticks!”
Leo gulped and faked a smile. “Great.”
“Do you think alligators could be in this part of the canal?” Leo asked.
“Are we in coastal Georgia?” Ronny asked.
“Is it water?” Roxy asked.
“Yes,” said Leo.
“Den dere’s prob’ly gators in dere den,” said another raccoon.
Leo walked along with the gaze of raccoons until the path turned over a bridge where another canal joined the first.
“Do you think alligators could be in that canal?” Leo asked.
“Is it wet?” a raccoon asked. The others just blinked at him and tilted their heads.
“Got it,” Leo said. “All the water. Speaking of danger… How did you get across that street to come help me?”
“Dat dere intersection is dangerous,” Roxy agreed. “We always cross at night when dere’s fewer cars. When did you cross?”
“This morning,” Leo paused as the raccoons all gasped. “Around first light,”
“Not too bright, not too bright. Good guy, but not too bright,” the other raccoons mumbled to each other.
“Ya know, dere buddy boy,” Roxy said gently. “Maybe you should find a new human house to live in. Inside’s even safer den de back yard. Give it a tink.” She opened her eyes wide. “It’s right in yer name, dere! Is dat why day call you house cats? It’s where you belong?”
“I tried humans,” Leo said. “No thanks. Some were good, but some were awful.”
Ronny nodded. “I tink dere’s more good den bad. The bad ones just make more noise.”
“Were headin’ back dis way,” Roxy said. “We’ll sleep in da trees and cross back to de dumpster diner at nightfall. Wanna come?”
“Leo thought about the food. Then he remembered the cars in the road and parking lot, and the alligators in the canal. “What if I go this way?”
“Nottin’ but trees and marshy fields,” Roxy said.
“Sounds safer,” Leo thanked the gaze again for their help, and they parted ways.
The day grew warm, but so many trees provided plenty of shade. Stepping out of the tree line, Leo found a damp field. The low areas were squishy and wet, but the higher areas were baked dry by the sun. He found a dry spot for a long nap and awoke at dusk.
“Hello, there,” said an unfamiliar voice.
Leo turned around to find a furry grey creature almost exactly the same size as him. She had a cute pointy little face and a pink nose. Leo had seen many opossums pass through his old yard. He learned to eat all the food his humans gave him quickly, because if any was left out at nightfall, the yard would be full of these critters.
Virginia, the oppossum, introduced herself and welcomed Leo. Another opossum greeted him while dragging a clump of leaves back to her burrow. She had the leaves wrapped tightly in her prehensile tail, twisting and squeezing like an elephant’s trunk.
“Helllllllooooooo!” squeaked the seven little babies clinging to the fur on her back as she waddled through.
“Friendly neighbors,” Leo said. “Sun and shade. No cars or giant reptilian monsters trying to eat me… maybe this could be my new home.”
Virginia smiled back at him.
“If only there were something to eat.”
“There’s plenty to eat,” said a young male opossum hanging by his tail from a tree branch. He pointed a clawed and stubby toe toward the ground near Leo. “Earthworm.”
“Good eye,” Virginia gobbled it down.
Leo cringed at the sound. “There’s another,” he said, pointing a paw to the ground right under her. “Oh, a couple.”
Virginia stood on her hind legs, exposing her belly.
“OH NO!” Leo screamed. “They’re inside you! Are you wounded? Are they eating you?”
Just then, a hairless baby opossum flopped out of the opening in Virginia’s stomach. Then another.
“AAAHHHH!” Leo screamed again. “There’s rats crawling out of your body!”
“No, it’s fine,” said Virginia.
“Why is this happening?” Leo ran in frantic circles. “It’s like a nightmare!”
“STOP!” Virginia raised her voice. “I’m just nursing my babies. Why do some creatures react like this?”
Leo looked away, then back, then away again.
“Everything’s fine, but I suppose it is a bit odd to outsiders. We are the only marsupials around.” Virginia assured him. “My joeys are having breakfast in my pouch, and there are lots of things for you to eat here too.”
“I might stay if there’s good food,” the cat said, trying to act casually. “I’ve been searching for a new place to live, and everywhere I go seems great, but then there’s always one big problem or another. So, what have you got to eat around here, besides earthworms?”
Other opossums joined in to list the local delicacies.
“Grubs, cockroaches, spiders…” Leo’s smile faded. “Roadkill if it’s fresh enough…” Leo’s mouth fell open. “Venomous snakes, lots of those around…” Leo looked over his shoulder nervously. “And my favorite, ticks. This whole area’s full of ticks!”
Leo gulped and faked a smile. “Great.”
On His Way Home Part 11
Who's That?
by Jeffrey Pax
Leo the cat looked down at his damp paws. Tiny clumps of soil from low, soggy patches of the marshy field stuck to his fur.
“Hey, there,” Virginia the opossum said with a smile, pointing at Leo’s hind leg. “Great job! You got one.”
“One what?”
“A tick. You gonna eat it?”
“No,” he said, cautiously. “No, thank you.”
“May I?”
“Be my gues—” Leo wiggled. Her little toenails tickled, separating his fur. He cringed at the sharp snap of the exoskeleton being crushed between sharp teeth.
“Delicious!” she exclaimed. “Good thing we got it when we did. If you wait, they burrow under the skin.”
“Ew. That makes fleas sound good,” Leo said.
“Oh, yeah,” Virginia answered. “We have plenty of fleas, too.”
“Yeah?” Leo said with a frown. “I don’t know if this place is for me.”
The creatures fell silent, listening to the light pat pat pat. A gentle breeze carried the earthy petrichor scent of fresh rain on a hot day.
First, Leo was invited to the hollow center of a fallen tree near the edge of the field. Small, crawling with bugs, who ate the decaying wood, and packed with opossums, who ate the bugs… the house cat found it less than comfortable.
Next, he tried a brushpile with another family of opossums. The heap of dead leaves on a heap of sticks failed to keep him dry once the rain picked up.
After thanking the opossums for their hospitality and letting them remove a few more “delicious” ticks, Leo the cat traveled back in the direction of roads, parking lots, and humans. Roads and humans being more easily avoided than ticks and alligators, the cat chose one set of dangers over the other. And the sudden rain reminded him that life was more than survival. He craved the comforts of food and shelter that humans kept piled all around them.
He scrunched his eyes shut in the driving rain. He shook the cold water from his matted fur. Low to the ground, with as little weight on his injured front leg as possible, he trudged. Yesterday’s baby alligator bite ached with each step. More than once, Leo stopped to lick it furiously.
Under the flicker of lightning and the roll of thunder, he remembered the almost homes of his recent past. The parks, parking lots, and ponds… So many safe, happy places had betrayed him. It felt like months, rather than just a few days, that he’d been searching for a new place to live. Shaking the rain from his fur and limping on his injured leg, Leo struggled to hop a backyard fence.
He thought of long-lost sunny days, cozy afternoon naps, full bellies, and hugs from his now absent humans.
No deck here; only a cement patio. Leo stopped at the sliding glass door. Hunkered down and squinting, his scruffy, muddy fur showed that he had become even scrawnier than he felt. He held up his injured leg.
Am I even me anymore? He asked the unfamiliar and unhappy reflection looking back at him.
He let out a mournful meow and collapsed between two flower pots.
Outside, rain drenched the cat. Inside, red lips curled the woman’s mouth into a cruel smile.
“... so glad you asked to have a playdate…” another woman said, wiping cookie crumbs and chocolate smudges from the pudgy fists of two toddlers.
“Kitty?” one child asked. Then he shouted, “KITTY!”
“I don’t believe it. That’s the cat that destroyed my backyard and attacked my child,” the woman said.
“Here?” asked the other. “Should we call animal control?”
The smiling woman was already scrolling on her phone.
…
SHUNK
The wire noose of the catchpole tightened around Leo’s neck before he awoke. The man held the other end of the long metal bar. All the hissing and spitting, all the flailing of barbed paws, could not free Leo from that device. As he knocked over and shattered one potted plant, scuffing his claws dull on the pavement, the smiling woman inside whispered, “Got you!”
Cadge, truck, building. Leo found himself inside for the first time in his life. One human held the far end of the catchpole while another, wearing thick gloves, looked him over.
“That wound on its leg looks bad,” she said. “Hold it still.”
“Injection ready?” asked the man holding the pole.
“Yeah,” she nodded, smearing some cheese on a plastic spoon. She put it on the floor in front of Leo’s face and held the handle down with her boot.
Still grumbling as he licked the cheese, Leo hissed when the woman pulled at the skin on his back. Leo hissed and tried to bite her when he felt a sharp poke.
darkness
“Hey, there,” Virginia the opossum said with a smile, pointing at Leo’s hind leg. “Great job! You got one.”
“One what?”
“A tick. You gonna eat it?”
“No,” he said, cautiously. “No, thank you.”
“May I?”
“Be my gues—” Leo wiggled. Her little toenails tickled, separating his fur. He cringed at the sharp snap of the exoskeleton being crushed between sharp teeth.
“Delicious!” she exclaimed. “Good thing we got it when we did. If you wait, they burrow under the skin.”
“Ew. That makes fleas sound good,” Leo said.
“Oh, yeah,” Virginia answered. “We have plenty of fleas, too.”
“Yeah?” Leo said with a frown. “I don’t know if this place is for me.”
The creatures fell silent, listening to the light pat pat pat. A gentle breeze carried the earthy petrichor scent of fresh rain on a hot day.
First, Leo was invited to the hollow center of a fallen tree near the edge of the field. Small, crawling with bugs, who ate the decaying wood, and packed with opossums, who ate the bugs… the house cat found it less than comfortable.
Next, he tried a brushpile with another family of opossums. The heap of dead leaves on a heap of sticks failed to keep him dry once the rain picked up.
After thanking the opossums for their hospitality and letting them remove a few more “delicious” ticks, Leo the cat traveled back in the direction of roads, parking lots, and humans. Roads and humans being more easily avoided than ticks and alligators, the cat chose one set of dangers over the other. And the sudden rain reminded him that life was more than survival. He craved the comforts of food and shelter that humans kept piled all around them.
He scrunched his eyes shut in the driving rain. He shook the cold water from his matted fur. Low to the ground, with as little weight on his injured front leg as possible, he trudged. Yesterday’s baby alligator bite ached with each step. More than once, Leo stopped to lick it furiously.
Under the flicker of lightning and the roll of thunder, he remembered the almost homes of his recent past. The parks, parking lots, and ponds… So many safe, happy places had betrayed him. It felt like months, rather than just a few days, that he’d been searching for a new place to live. Shaking the rain from his fur and limping on his injured leg, Leo struggled to hop a backyard fence.
He thought of long-lost sunny days, cozy afternoon naps, full bellies, and hugs from his now absent humans.
No deck here; only a cement patio. Leo stopped at the sliding glass door. Hunkered down and squinting, his scruffy, muddy fur showed that he had become even scrawnier than he felt. He held up his injured leg.
Am I even me anymore? He asked the unfamiliar and unhappy reflection looking back at him.
He let out a mournful meow and collapsed between two flower pots.
Outside, rain drenched the cat. Inside, red lips curled the woman’s mouth into a cruel smile.
“... so glad you asked to have a playdate…” another woman said, wiping cookie crumbs and chocolate smudges from the pudgy fists of two toddlers.
“Kitty?” one child asked. Then he shouted, “KITTY!”
“I don’t believe it. That’s the cat that destroyed my backyard and attacked my child,” the woman said.
“Here?” asked the other. “Should we call animal control?”
The smiling woman was already scrolling on her phone.
…
SHUNK
The wire noose of the catchpole tightened around Leo’s neck before he awoke. The man held the other end of the long metal bar. All the hissing and spitting, all the flailing of barbed paws, could not free Leo from that device. As he knocked over and shattered one potted plant, scuffing his claws dull on the pavement, the smiling woman inside whispered, “Got you!”
Cadge, truck, building. Leo found himself inside for the first time in his life. One human held the far end of the catchpole while another, wearing thick gloves, looked him over.
“That wound on its leg looks bad,” she said. “Hold it still.”
“Injection ready?” asked the man holding the pole.
“Yeah,” she nodded, smearing some cheese on a plastic spoon. She put it on the floor in front of Leo’s face and held the handle down with her boot.
Still grumbling as he licked the cheese, Leo hissed when the woman pulled at the skin on his back. Leo hissed and tried to bite her when he felt a sharp poke.
darkness
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All installments of On His Way Home were originally published in
Richmond Hill Neighbors Magazine.
