by Steve Chapman

Created on: March 09, 2010

Smokey was very different than any cat I had ever encountered. Thankfully, our “encounter” ended much better than it started.

I was doing a four month onsite renovation consult  for an architectural firm and building contractor I sometimes worked with, along with an occasional day of finish work on an additional home construction project for them. I was overseeing the color, design, planning, and finish work on the renovation of a six million dollar home with fifty two rooms, a theater, 32 painters, 6 paper hangers, and a drywall crew .Right beside the property, in an adjoining lot, full of of overgrowth, resided a cat I would soon meet, triggering what I considered consequences, and my wife considered high comedy. For her that is.

It was winter, and very cold, especially for Atlanta. Each day as we arrived and walked past her home onto the job site, the "neighbor lady" as some called her, would call to me, I don't know why (ME), saying she was concerned about THAT cat!; HE needed to be taken in. HE had no home, and she was concerned for HIM! Each time, I managed not to say what I wanted to say; "then YOU GET HIM! and you won't  be concerned!." Instead, I said,” yes mam, I’ll try, and I honestly did. Diligently!  One day, I got him!.

Proud of myself, and like her, truly sad for him although not a cat guy, off we went to my car and headed home. The “neighbor lady” had told me his name was Smokey. I didn’t ask how she knew, but I had thought; if you know him on a first name basis, you should take him, he knows you!  We arrived at our home, where things would later go into a spiral. Leaving work, I had ignored an internal siren trying to get my attention, and drove away hopeful this would be a good deed. You see, I was brave. And stubborn! 

 Taking him out of his makeshift traveler, a box with lots of duct tape, he hissed at me. I said to him,” look dude, if you took me home, built an awesome fire, fed me, and turned on soothing music, I sure wouldn't hiss at you!” He didn't get it, and hissed some more.

Pam, my wife, came home and thankfully was sympathetic, though I detected a knowing chuckle, and soon Smokey began disappearing behind our furniture, where he finally he hit my "red alert button!" when I heard him start" claw pulling" the fabric, that stretching thing cats do, into the back of our couch!  He moved on to a chair, and back to the sofa, again!

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