I acquiesce to overwhelming reader demand (Michelle) and post Five Studies (Part 2): The Off-White Cat Who Crossed The Road and got bit by a mosquito
Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 11:58PM ;)
The Off-White Cat Who Crossed the Road: Study #1: As I drive to pay a bill, I see an off-white cat calmly and properly crossing the road in a cross walk. The cat looks most elegant and stately. I stop for the cat. I raise my camera. The lens cap is still on it. As I fumble to remove it, a car approaches from a side street. The cat panics, jumps right out of the cross walk and flees as I barely manage to get this snap. I continue on to pay my bill. I am sad. I have already depressed myself on this day. I would explain but it would take too many words. Now I am even more depressed, because I missed the picture of the cat walking so elegantly and stately across the road right in the cross walk.
It is because I had the lens cap on, but it is really the fault of that other driver - the one who so inconsiderately came driving along and scared out the cat out of the cross walk. I consider suing for $22 Million - the sum the photo would surely have snatched at auction had that inconsiderate driver not behaved as she did, but I forgot to take her license plate number.
I drive off to pay the bill, knowing I will never see the cat again.
;)
The Off-White Cat Who Crossed the Road: Study #2: About 15 minutes later, I come driving back, slowly. I know I will not see the cat again, but I do. There are no cars anywhere in sight, so I stop in the left turn lane to see if I can get a picture. Stopping in the middle of the road for whatever reason, whether it be to chat with the guy in the car coming in the opposite direction who has stopped to block his lane and talk to you or to chat with a moose is a common practice in Wasilla, even if there are cars coming. So I feel okay about it.
I shoot fast, because I know the instant my shutter clicks, the cat will flee.
;)
The Off-White Cat Who Crossed the Road: Study #3: My shutter clicks. The off-white cat does not flee, but emerges from the bushes to look around.
;)
The Off-White Cat Who Crossed the Road: Study #4: The off-white cat steps off the sidewalk into the road. A mosquito bites the cat in the butt. To get a better look at the mosquito, click on the picture and a bigger version will pop up.
;)
The Off-White Cat Who Crossed the Road: Study #5: The off-white cat crosses the road behind me, then disappears downhill on the other side. I have not seen the off-white cat since. I wish I had taken the license number of that lady who scared the off-white cat out of the cross walk so I could get my $22 million. If I could, I would find the off-white cat and buy it a 21.5 million dollar cat house stocked with a life-time supply of food and catnip. This would leave $500,000 dollars for Margie and me.
That ought to be enough to fund a really good vacation to Hawaii next winter. We could visit all the islands and drink all the Kona coffee we wanted.
Reader Comments (5)
Aw, this kitty looks homeless, skinny and hungry. I think you should go right back with a cat carrier and some yummy food. Jimmy probably has been hoping for a friend.
My whining paid off. Definitely!!! The cat in the bush with the one bright blue eye is sooo good. I know you are busy Bill, but you can't keep these shots from your constant readers.
You just can't!!!!
Thank you Michelle! I'm waiting to win the lottery, but people keep telling me I have to buy a ticket. If I ever have an extra buck to buy a ticket and win, I will send you and Margie to Hawaii if you bring me home a bag of Kona Coffee! Our daughter-in-law flies the Orient and brings us back Kona Coffee for the holidays and it is so good. I'm getting too old to go to Hawaii anymore. Some days it's hard to get to the grocery store!
Just love the study of the off-white cat! I would have loved it if it was an off-black cat too. I love cats!
Bill,
Do you have an email address? I'm not seeing one here. I have something funny to send you. Cat related.
Wendy, someone else posted on my Facebook page that they thought this was a homeless cat. I am not so sure. my experience with feral cats is that they flee the moment they discover you paying the slightest attention to them. And they tend to see a lens pointed at them as the big eye of a creature out to get them. This cat was not at all concerned about me. Plus, it was "downtown" Wasilla, in an area where I think a homeless cat, especially a non-spooky homeless cat, would either be brought into a home or taken to the animal shelter.
Michelle - thank you. I don't know how to deal with it, though. It is a tough situation for me. Given my druthers, I would blog all the time, but I can't.
MrsGunka. I hope you win that lottery and discover you can go back to Hawaii after all.
WUA: runningdog@ak.net. I look forward to it.