I Ain't got no Tail--A Short time with an Alien

 

 

 Junior was lost when he showed up, so looking for him seemed like something we were always doing. When he jumped off the counter, who thought--poof, he's gone.

 

 

 

When he first arrived—showing up out of nowhere, like he dropped from the sky--David made him a bed in a box outside by the backdoor...it was November and cold-- he must have smelled the turkey we were smoking-- and the guy who we thought owned him never showed up to get him (one life already gone). There was always a crowd of cats at our house and we knew bringing him in would take time.  And, what would they all think of this one without a tail http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/manx.html?  

 

 

 

One thing about a Manx, they can express themselves in all kinds of ways a normal feline can't. They can spit at you directly, and scream in your face, and twirl like whirling dervishes. And, I'm sure they can talk. The other cats knew he was from another planet, even when we know he was from the Isle of Mann. If he tried to fight, he toppled over—they wondered why he hadn’t learned cat-fu in that strange place. When he wanted to go out, he ran in circles—no scratching the door like they would.  And, he could stretch his legs out and watch TV http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidandandrea/184349533/in/set-72157594191132743/.

 

Lady, the calico, was sure he was possessed; Trudy chased him around to see how fast aliens could run; Slick tried to swat him to make him behave; and Casper just stared. Only Ruby, the youngster, stood near him and tried to understand.

 

When he jumped off the counter on Sunday and told me he had to go (even though it was raining) I never thought twice. On Monday morning, I really wasn't too bothered that he wasn't anywhere to be found---he was lost before.

 

 

 

Monday afternoon--call David--"Hi there, any sign of June?"-- he pauses--"Nope." I can hear in his voice that he's spent all morning wandering the neighborhood, calling, whistling, calling whistling. Lady went with him, wondering why in the world he would look for that creature.

 

 

 

There's a website "how to find a lost pet." I have it bookmarked. 

 

 

 Step one....look everywhere,-- over and over

 

 

Step two...let everyone know--ok...there's the neighborhood email list, the local yahoo group, the newspaper, the humane scociety, animal services--done

 

 

Step three...put up signs...."Lost cat, manx, no tail, last seen Sunday, hard to handle, needs twice daily medication...call, write, come by if you see him" in mailboxes, on signposts, bulletin boards---done

 

 

Step four--look everywhere again... We crawled together under Terry's house behind ours. That's the house on blocks.  David thought to bring towels so our knees wouldn't get dirty. His flashlight was brighter then mine, but nada, zip, not a peep. It’s soggy and peaty and even with towels, the dirt stuck to my new pants (who has time to change from work, looking is the most important thing we can do).

 

 

 

Kate's cat, across the street, lived in the culvert for several weeks, but not, June. It's way too quiet. Anne is gone next door, but she's got a fake dog thing that barks to scare off intruders--but I call in the doorway and on the porch and beat the bushes...poof, disappeared.

 

 

 

Tuesday night we can't stay home...it's impossible--we'd just keep tromping around calling, whistling---mixed in with tears. The moon is bright this week, even with the rain, it's an easy time to cry.

 

 

 

On Wednesday David thinks he has it figured out. It was a fox....or aliens. After dinner I look up at the stars and believe him....it was aliens. Lady wanders around my feet thinking “See, we told you.”

 

 

 

He's gone, but he was lost when he showed up. Maybe he came to gather information and his time is done. Back to the stars.  It’s a full moon on the Isle of Mann where cats without tails are always at home.

 

 

 

 

 

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