Ms. Kate Took A Leap Of Faith!

 Rowdy watched as Ms. Kate licked her fur. She pretended that she wasn't watching or even in the same room. She was something that was for sure. Rowdy couldn't imagine living a life such as Kate's. A nice warm house, always plenty of food to eat, a soft couch. Even with all that, she wasn't happy. Sure, I made my life sound exciting; traveling escapades, bright lights and fancy food. The truth is, I may have exaggerated a bit, well maybe a lot. I'm a little older than her and plenty street smart, but that was not of my own making. I wasn't wanted by my mother or the people that owned the shack where I was born. I was the smallest of the litter and not cute and chubby like my brother and sisters. Because of that I got little food and found nothing soft to sleep on. Well one time I remember well. That was almost a disaster. Oh how I remember that day. Maybe I shouldn't convince Kate to go with me. She's been kind of pampered. She is old enough to make up her own mind, but boy that was a bad day.

It seemed like I had walked forever. It was a hot day and I was so hungry and thirsty. I walked up this little hill and discovered a small house that had an open door to a porch with comfortable looking furniture. Oh how I needed some rest. So I quickly jumped up on the couch. On it was a pretty little soft pillow. Once I got comfortable and curled up to take a much needed rest this horrible squealing noise liked to have broke my ear drums. I jumped off that thing and the noise quit, but I heard a dog scratching at the door and barking his head off. I knew I had chosen a house that had a dog that did not like cats! 

I ran outside as quick as I could. Wouldn't you know it they had rose bushes with all kinds of stickers that got caught in my fur and slowed me down.  Oh and they had a fence; a really high fence. I couldn't figure out where I got in. I ran and ran as fast as I could. Finally I jumped up on top of a propane tank. There was that dog! He was watching every breath I took. I can remember that day clear as a bell. Every time I hear a high pitch sound I think of that scary dog and my heart starts beating fast.

Ms. Kate watched Rowdy and wondered what life with her would be like. "Traveling and free as a bird, but who would feed me? Would Rowdy make sure I was warm and fed? I'm a smartie; book smart that is. I proved that by going to the university and got my degree in Mewology. Talk about boring. Understanding feline behavior and all aspects of feline ancestry that contribute to that behavior. Every cat in the class was gray or like me. No one wanted to be my friend. It seemed to me a waste of my time. I wanted to make my mark on the world. After I got my degree I couldn't even get a job teaching! I know it was because of how I looked, so after doing some soul searching I decided to live on this farm. They're nice enough folks, but when they get company I just want to hide. I don't like all of the excitement of children and television! Whoever invented that thing was not thinking about cats that's for sure!

                                                                     &&&&&

Rowdy told Ms. Kate that he would stay for awhile. She knew that traveling with her would take some thought. Ms. Kate paid little attention to the stranger, but watched to see where she went.

Rowdy walked into a room with big furniture and lots of books and papers. He jumped up to inspect the chaos that interested her. She took one of her paws and moved things around. "Hmm, what is this? I had some reading lessons, but this is hard to read. It looks like some kind of letter addressed to Ms. Kate. Wow, if I'm not mistaken she has a college degree! Not only a degree, but she's a shrink! Well, that settles it. We have nothing in common, she would never like my kind of life and I sure wouldn't like hers. I think I will just skip out the back door before she misses me."

Ms. Kate stood quietly at the doorway watching Rowdy reading her diploma. "Why is that thing still laying around? It certainly no good to me nowadays." She let out a sigh with a soft mew. She knew that the possibility of seeing the world with Rowdy was soon to be something that was not to be considered.

Rowdy heard Ms. Kate mew and said, "I'm sorry, girl, but you are too high class for me. I'm rough and tough and a street smart cat that has lived on her own for years. You are educated and used to living the soft life of two meals a day and a nice soft bed of her own or the couch if you please. No. It just wouldn't work. Okay then, have a nice life. I'm off. I'm thinking to go south where the weather is warmer. Maybe someday I'll meet a cat that lives on a ranch down there. That would be the cat's meow," she chuckled. With that she jumped off the desk ran past Ms. Kate and was out the back door.

She looked around at her nice warm home and thought, "No, Rowdy! You have a traveling companion whether you like it or not. Life is too short not to take a leap of faith!" In no time she caught up with the stranger. Her heart was beating a little faster than normal and the sweat in her paws was leaving a faint trail as she started her adventure. 

The twosome were being watched by both neighborhood joggers and two very interested dogs as they made their way to Grandma Lu's camper where their adventure would soon begin.