A bird in the hand

"I'm not asking you to look after her, just let her out if you see her pawing at any door. Wait by the door until she comes back. She is just a bit timid just now and likes to look back at me standing at the door."



Tim  nodded his agreement, knowing that look that his wife gave him may have shown a sweet smile, but her usual aqua colored eyes glinted like ice chips hit by the sun. He sighed and then shrugged his shoulders and picked up the television remote and threw himself on the couch; all done with his back to her.



"This is getting old," Jules said sounding exasperated.



"I'm grieving Tiger," he said petulantly.



"I think Sparkle is here for a reason and it's to help you get over Tiger."



He knew his wife changed tactics with those words. She did not understand how much he missed his old cat, after all Tiger lived to the grand old age of seventeen, and she had only been in Tiger's life for five of them, while he had been around for them all.  He had to speak out here, nothing or no-one could replace or take away that bond been human and master.



"Replace Tiger—no cat ever could"



His wife stood with her hand on the door handle, keys and purse in the other. He saw her inhale deeply. This was not a good sign.



"Either way, see  that she gets out—or you can do the grocery shopping"



"Fine, I'll let her out, just don't expect me to like her." He knew he sounded churlish, but he could not help himself.





"I can't believe I'm hearing this from a supposed adult."



Jules left, banging the door behind her.



Tim knew he was in the doghouse now! He threw a look of disgust toward the cat. However,the cat saw this an opportunity to get petted and ran up to him with her tail straight up and curled at the tip, then she began weaving herself between his legs, purring happily. He bent down and stroked her before he knew what he was doing.



Sparkle's huge almond eyes took up most of her little face. Jules had rescued her on the interstate, three weeks before. His dear wife always the sucker for any of God’s creatures. The cat had been in poor shape when she brought her home, but her careful ministrations had brought her back to full health quite quickly.He pulled back realizing what he had just done.



Now, Missy it's about time for you to move on.



Jules insisted that they keep her, the night she brought her home he could see that she already had the bond  her reasoning for this— they were talking about getting you another cat anyway. They had been, yes he had to admit that but somewhere off the future not now and he imagined getting a rescue pet, not rescuing one.



"You've landed a good home kitten—for now" The cat purred, Tim ignored her, as he seemed sure the almond eyes of the petite cat mocked him and he went back to the ball game.



He could not concentrate on the game, and turned to look at Sparkle washing herself. Jules had given the stray Tiger's bed. He did not like this at all.



Perhaps this cat could win over Jules but not him.



He had to admit she was pleasant on the eyes with her sweet face which  her eyes  took up about half of it.They were a vivid green. Her coat, now well groomed and shiny, but black as night except for a tiny patch of white under her belly.  Jules had given her his dear departed Tiger's bed. Nope, this cat would not be staying, it may be a him or the cat situation. He usually gave Jules whatever she wanted but not this time.





Tiger had only been gone six months, how could she think of replacing him already.



Tim turned back to the game, determined he would be the victor in this situation His thoughts still on the cat and Jules.



Women, they soon forget loved ones and get replacements fast enough. Wonder if she would replace me as quick.











The cat began pawing the cabinet door, he got up and let her out. A Northeastner started up, coming down of the mountains and a cold bite on the wind whipped across his face.  He stepped back into the house and closed the door quickly and went back to the ball game. The Redsox's were winning, at least the day wasn't all bad he thought.

           

An hour later, Tim went to get a beer. He could hear the wind battering against the windows, it had whipped up some since he put the cat out. He hoped Jules would be back soon the sky had darkened over and he knew the rain would be here . . .





OH NO . . .The cat!  He had forgotten about the cat. He remembered Jule's words, she likes to see me at the door.



1He ran to the door and as he soon as he opened it much to his horror he saw the cat stuck up a tree.  He dashed over to her.



The poor cat  looked terrified as she hung in to his wife's precious palm tree.  The neighbors dog Bunty, a playful Spanish bull mastiff stood on the other side of him  with her tail wagging as she barked at the cat.



Tim went round and grabbed her collar and yanked her to the broken spot in the fence. Jules had been asking him for weeks to mend it, but he had not got around to it yet.



"Shoo, Bunty go home." he shouted at the dog.



Bunty hung her head for a few seconds, then resumed her barking. A large dog that looked fierce because of her size but in fact a  more docile dog you could never meet,  Tim knew she would only want to play with the cat. In Tiger's time she would never have come into the yard. Tiger ruled his territory and Bunty knew this He pushed her through the hole in the fence and pulled a planter over to block her return.



The tree swayed in the strong wind. Jule's pride and joy, she managed to grow this up in Maine, her one piece of  home she called it, and it had survived three winters.  Tim thought it was the ugliest spindly  looking thing he had ever set eyes on and it spoiled the beauty of his pine trees. However, he humored his wife by telling her what a fine job she had done. Tim prided himself of being a caring supportive husband.



He ran back to the kitchen and grabbed some cooked chicken and tried to coax Sparkle cat down with it but she was hanging on for dear life.  A strong gust of wind sent the kitten was screaming in terror, swaying back and forth precariously. Another sharp gust came and Tim had visions of Sparkler being sent  flying. He could see the poor thing being washed up on Bar Harbor beach—and him  homeless!

He had to think of a way to get her down safely, he spotted the hose-pipe and  used it as a  lasso to  try bend the trunk, he pulled hard on it but it  did not budge one inch…time was running out for him, Jules would be home soon.

In desperation he called his friend Joe, a fireman…after explaining the situation, the advice Joe gave did not amuse him, but Tim knew it had to be done.



"Cut it down"



"Guess I will have to, if Jules hears about this I'm a dead man." Tim had been hoping that Joe was on duty and would bring out the fire truck, to rescue the little thing.



He got no reply from Joe,  he just heard his laughter as he put down the telephone.



He ran to the garage and got a hand saw. Hoping to try and save the tree he sawed into the side of the trunk. He  Just enough to make it bend to let the cat jump down. He lasso the tree again this time he pulled it hard with all his strength, it began to bend. He smiled to himself, but then he froze as he heard a  snapping sound, then looked in horror as it fell to the ground.  lt sounded like a rushing waterfall, except for the awful crashing sound as it landed on a few ceramic pots, containing her prized magnolia plants. He stood and gaped at the sight before him.



He was in deep now, but at least  the cat was safe. She leap off the tree before it hit the ground. although it wasn't done at all delicately. He watched as she scarpered off up the yard.

Tim stood open mouthed as he  watched the kitten run under a shrub. She's probably traumatized for life now, he had visions of having to take on a second job to pay huge veterinarian's bills for therapy for the dammed cat.



"Hallelujah" he cried as he  spotted a dead chickadee, lying on the ground beside the fallen palm tree.



"Yes, thank you, Jesus." He looked skyward, he saw a way out of this.

"Jules, I had to act fast, she had the poor thing pinned to the tree with her claws. It’s not a tree you can climb up.



Jules raised an eyebrow.



"I’ll buy you another… I’ll buy you ten."



"As long as you and the cat are okay, darling that's all that matters. It must have been an ordeal for you both." She walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek.



Tim sighed inwardly he had gotten away with it.



"Come on and sit down and I'll make you some hot sweet tea, it is a good cure for getting over shock. The poor bird, although the cat will probably not go after birds again." Jules walked him over to the couch and would not listen to his protests.



"We can clean up the yard when the storm is over and I'm sure the cat will be safe out there"



He could not believe his luck, in Jule's eyes he was the hero in all of this.







Sparkle  came in four hours later. Jules gave her a severe telling off, her punishment Jule's did not feed  her  the  fish shavings  she had bought. She lavished praise and affection on Tim. Order had again been restored, he felt victorious.

Jules told him how grateful she felt knowing  he had not got hurt in trying to save the bird. 



He did feel a bit guilty as h e looked  over at the kitten while Jules went to get him a beer from the kitchen



"Sparkle, thanks for taking the heat on this, I owe you one!'  He tried to stroke her but kitten cowered down in the bed.



Something good came out of it, Tim and Sparkle were getting along just fine. Jules smiled as she returned from the kitchen, Tim was crouched over the basket, patting the kitten.



"Jules, I think the little thing got a fright, after all that tree must have been twenty feet high. Maybe you shouldn't be too hard on her. After all she is doing what comes natural to cats."



"I never did care much for the tree, it was more the challenge of growing it up here However we should make a decision on whether we keep the cat or not.'' Jules looked Tim straight in the eye and held his gaze as he answered.



"I think she had better stay, after all the cat is going to need help to overcome the trauma of today's event and I know you're the best person for that."



Jules hugged her husband and ran over to Sparkle.





"Do you hear that Sparkle, you're now part of the family." She picked up the cat and began to cuddle her, she then handed her to Tim, who knew he would be expected to do the same.





Tim smiled as he took his wife in his arms. "We will go buy you a pine tree to replace it and while I'm there I will get the material I need to fix the fence."





As Jules cut up the chicken for Sparkle  She smiled to herself.



Meeting Joe int he parking lot of the grocery store was  perfect timing. She also meant to clear away the dead chickadee that morning!