Soon after that Monday evening
Not wanting to spook Boots by chasing him, I walk in the direction of our next door neighbors, Barry and Jenny, who always had a soft spot for “Bootsy” when he would come to their yard and watch the birds at their bird feeder. I blurt out, You won’t believe it, but I just saw Boots. We turn to the pines and oaks between our houses and see Boots again. Be still my heart. He slinks back into the brush as I head home for some white tuna in a can, since we have long since given all our dry cat food away. Placing the tuna in a dish on an old stump in Hannah’s rock garden, I know I have to do something more. I am too jazzed up to just to sit around.
First, I call DJ, and then walk over to our backdoor neighbors, Red and Kerry. Each just stares at me as I repeat my story. They can’t be more sympathetic. Truly, they are ready to join the posse. I call Randy, then let Chrissie know, too. Jackson says he’ll try to catch Boots, and for that I am thankful for it makes me feel I’m not on my own in this search. Next it’s knocking on the doors of Crystal, then Alicia, and finally Old John. Their eyes soften and they no longer wonder what this stranger wants at their door. All are just as understanding and willing to do what they can. They can so easily put themselves in our place.
Alicia asks, Are you sure it’s your cat? She relates a story of mistaken cat identity with her own cat, but I respond, it’s got four white paws and a white chest, without actually answering her question. I just want it to be so and, tell me, what else explains this black cat with four white paws walking up our driveway twelve months later? Heading for home, I totally forget her question. I am on a mission. As the poker players say, I’m all in - giving my full focus to getting Boots home. Still it’s strange that he zipped away so quickly when I opened the door. But that totally makes sense - he’s been on his own for the past year.
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