Catch up with Leo the cat
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New readers welcome!
Previous chapters, originally published in Richmond Hill Neighbors Magazine, are available on this page. So, if you're a new reader, or just missed last month's issue,
scroll down and catch up.
You'll also find clues about where Leo will go next.
Previous chapters, originally published in Richmond Hill Neighbors Magazine, are available on this page. So, if you're a new reader, or just missed last month's issue,
scroll down and catch up.
You'll also find clues about where Leo will go next.
Video Clue: Part 5
Do you recognize where in Richmond Hill Leo will be in part 5?
Scroll down for previous installments.
Video Clue: Part 1
Do you recognize where in Richmond Hill Leo began in part 1?
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?
Video Clue: Part 2
Do you recognize where in Richmond Hill Leo was in part 2?
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.
Video Clue: Part 3
Do you recognize where in Richmond Hill Leo was for part 3?
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.
Video Clue: Part 4
Do you recognize where in Richmond Hill Leo was for part 4?
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!”
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All installments of On His Way Home were originally published in
Richmond Hill Neighbors Magazine.
