Alan sat on the bed and thought. Twenty-four hours before he wanted to die. Darkness had enveloped him. The light pierced that pitch blackness in the form of a fluffy, white and blue Ragdoll kitten. He still had a lot of darkness to deal with – crushing debt, no job, no money, no girl.
A lonely, broke life stretched out before him. Even though some help appeared, he knew a difficult journey lay ahead.
Am I up to this? he thought.
Chapter Nine
The phone rang at 10:40am, Boxing Day. He answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Alan? It’s Amy. We have a place for you, and you can bring Poof. Isn’t that great?”
“Yes, it is. Yes, it is.”
“Can you make it over to the church by noon? Do you have much stuff?”
“No, not much. A few clothes, toothbrush and Poof. Where am I going to put Poof?”
“You probably don’t have a cat carrier. Do you?”
“No. Nothing.’
“What about a cardboard box you can punch holes into?”
“No. But maybe I can find one.”
“Ok. See you at twelve. Bye.”
Alan hung up.
“Where can I get a cardboard box? There must be one around here,” he said and thought. He picked up the phone and dialed “0.”
“Front desk, may I help you?” a woman said.
“This is room 18. Do you have a medium size cardboard box I can have?”
“No.”
“Oh, really?”
“Wait. I know where you can get one. There’s some people in room 14 who left some boxes outside their room. I think they held Christmas gifts. Hopefully, the maids haven’t thrown them away yet.”
“Thanks,” Alan said.
He darted out the door. He looked back and forth to find room 14. He found it down the walkway, but he couldn’t see any boxes. He saw a maid with her back to him, picking up a box to flatten. He needed that box before she collapsed it.
“Hey, hey. Can I have that box?” he said and raced over to her in his sock feet.
The maid appeared perplexed.
“What for?” she said.
“A box. I need a box for my cat.”
“Cats aren’t allowed in motel rooms.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be gone soon. May I have that box?”
“Okay,” she said and handed it to him.
“Thank you,” he said and returned to his room.
“Another cold day, Poof.”
He packed his few belongings into his backpack. He poked holes into the box with a pen and put Poof into it. He closed the top by folding the flaps over.
“I better keep the top down or you’ll get out.’
Poof meowed. She did not like being in there, but it had to be done. She tried to push her head through the flaps, but Alan held his hand over it. He picked up his backpack and threw it over his shoulders while holding her in the cardboard carrier. A struggle, for sure.
Alan searched the room with his eyes so he didn’t forget anything and picked up the Poof box. Leaving his keycard and a messy room, Alan departed for the church. The clock read 11:53am when he closed the door. He had to get moving. He didn’t want to be late and give a bad first impression.
He moved as fast as he could carrying Poof on slippery sidewalks. Across the parking lot, down the street, and toward the church, he went. Several cars were in the church parking lot. And as Alan got closer, he slipped and fell. He dropped the box, and Poof pushed her way out. She jumped out and ran away.
“Poof!”
Chapter Ten
Poof ran down the snowy pavement and turned into a driveway where Alan lost track of her.
“Poof! Come back.”
Alan got up and took his backpack off. It would only slow him down, and he had to catch her. He rushed to the driveway where he lost her but couldn’t find her.
“Alan,” a woman called. “What’s wrong?”
He turned and found Amy and two seniors – a tall man and a short woman – standing by the church entrance.
“Poof got away, and I can’t find her.”
“That’s his cat,” Amy said to the couple.
“What does she look like?” the man asked.
“She’s got off-white fluffy fur with a little blue on her face. She just a kitten.”
“We’ll help you find her,” the woman said.
The three crossed the street in a hurry.
“Which way did she go?” the man asked.
“I lost her around here somewhere.”
“I’ll look in backyards,” the man said and started searching, peering over fences.
“I’ll check under cars. We’ve got to find her quick,” the woman said. “The longer she’s gone, the harder it will be to find her.”
Alan called out her name and wandered the street, searching. Amy checked bushes and around the front door steps of several homes. No luck. They went over the neighborhood. Nothing.
“Where is she?” the woman said as she bent down to look under a Chevy truck. “I think I found her. She’s hiding beside a tire under this truck.” She pointed at the cat.
With care and stealth, they surrounded the vehicle. Each one bent down and peeked under.
“She’s going to run as soon as we try to grab her,” the woman said. “Tom, I will call to her to get her attention, and you grab her from behind.”
Tom nodded and settled behind the tire.
“I’m ready, Grace.”
“Psst, psst,” Grace said.
Poof watched her but didn’t move. Tom reached around the tire, but she darted off out into the street as an SUV sped toward her. Poof stopped in the road.
“Oh no,” Grace said.
“Poof!”
The driver hit the breaks, but the slippery roads and the momentum of the vehicle caused it to run over Poof. Grace turned away.
“Please, God,” Alan said.
Poof lay crouched in the street as the SUV came to a stop. She didn’t move. Alan ran up to her and got down on his knees.
“Poof?”
Grace, Tom and Amy came to them.
“Is she okay?” Amy asked.
“Poof?”
And the little cat stood up.
Alan picked her up and looked her over. No blood and she didn’t cry out in pain as if she’d been injured.
“I think she’s alright,” Alan said.
“Thank God,” Tom said.
“The SUV must have ran over top of her with out hitting her. What luck,” Amy said.
“Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus,” Alan said and hugged Poof.
Tom and Grace retrieved Alan’s backpack and the box. Alan placed his kitten back inside the makeshift carrier. He held it shut with two hands, top and bottom. He did not want her getting out again.
“Thank you for your help,” he said. “I just got her. She saved my life.”
“And you saved hers at the same time,” Amy said.
“I gotta hear that story,” Tom said.
“But right now, we’ll get you to your new home. It’s lunch time,” Grace said.
“I’m Alan.”
Tom and Grace introduced themselves. They got Alan and Poof into their Nitro. Alan thanked Amy, and they left. They arrived at Alan’s new, temporary home. An average house in a nice neighborhood. After getting inside, they showed Alan his new room. He unpacked his few belongings and let Poof out of the box. She started to explore the bedroom. He watched her.
“Are we in a new place, Poof?”
He sat on the bed, not knowing what to do. He felt lucky and thanked God. Someone knocked on the door. Grace came in and put her hands on her hips.
“You don’t have to stay in here. I have someone I want you to meet. Leave Poof here.”
Alan followed her out of his room, closing the door behind him and locking Poof in. They went to the living room where Alan saw an orange tabby.
“This is Rex. We got him from the SPCA, o
h about a year and a half ago.”
“Aww,” Alan said. “He reminds me of Buster. He’s an orange one too. I left him behind when I moved out here. I miss him.”
Alan bent down and got closer to Rex. The cat stretched his neck out to sniff Alan’s fingers that reached toward him. He smelled Alan. Rex allowed Alan to scratch him about the head and neck. Alan laughed when Rex pushed his head into Alan’s hand.
“Yeah, he’s a friendly fellow. Quite the suck. We’ll have to gradually introduce Rex to Poof to cut down on the hissing, growling and swatting,” Grace said.
“For sure,” Alan said.
He wondered where Kim was. He had to get his life together and find a better woman.
Good luck with that. Kim was the best I ever found. And I’m better off without her.
Chapter Eleven
Eight days after moving in with Tom and Grace, Alan had no success in finding a job. Because the Christmas holidays were over, employers weren’t looking to hire. Fast food work was a possibility but only as a last resort.
Alan spent his mornings applying for positions and afternoons helping around the house, cleaning, making repairs, shoveling snow or anything else that he could do. Evenings, he watched television and watched Rex and Poof. He tolerated her attacks, and she played with him.
Early in the new year, a knock at the front door got Alan’s attention. Grace answered it. Alan stopped playing with Poof and went to see who was there.
“Hi, Sweetheart,” Grace said. “Come in.”
Grace moved out of the way, and Darla entered. Alan recognized her as the redheaded woman he had met at the church dinner. The one he had put his foot in his mouth in front of. He smiled, wide.
“Alan, this is my daughter, Darla.”
“Hi Darla. I-I’m Alan.”
“We met at the Christmas dinner, Mom.”
“Really? Let’s go into the kitchen,” Grace said. “Coffee?”
“Love some,” Darla said.
“Me too,” Alan said.
They went into the kitchen and Grace turned on the coffee maker.
“Alan’s having some trouble finding a new job,” Grace said as they sat at the table. “He’s got nothing but his cat, and he has to work. Do you think there’s anything open at the Co-op?”
“Maybe,” Darla said.
“Darla’s a cashier at the grocery store, so she might be able to help you get a position.”
“I can’t get him a job in the same department. But I heard a food clerk is leaving to work in the oil patch. So he could apply for that position.”
“How does that sound?” Grace asked.
“Great,” Alan said. “You’ll put a good word in for me?”
“Yep,” Darla said.
“Thank you. Thank you.”
He wanted to thank her for being so cute but not now, if ever. Grace served them some coffee.
“Where are you from?” Darla asked.
“Oshawa.”
“Ontario?”
“Yes.”
“How did you end up here? In the Falls?”
“My ex“ - he emphasized “ex” – “girlfriend wanted to move here. But I miss Oshawa.”
“Where is she now?” Grace asked.
“I don’t know. She threw me out, and I haven’t seen her since.”
Alan looked down at his coffee.
“Oh,” Darla said.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk about it, Sweetheart.”
“Sorry,” Darla said and touched his arm.
She turned to her mother and changed the subject to her day at work. Grace and Darla talked, and he felt left out. He’d blown it with her and he knew it.
They heard a soft mew.
“Who is that? Is that your cat, Alan? I know Rex’s meow. That’s not Rex,” Darla said.
“That’s Poof,” Alan said.
They looked under the table and found her.
“You can tell a cat by his meow?” Alan asked. “Rex isn’t even your cat.”
“I’ve heard Rex’s meows enough to know when it’s not him.”
Alan reached down and picked up Poof. He stood up, holding her.
“Aww, she’s beautiful. Poof isn’t it?” Darla said.
“Yes,” Alan said and scratched his kitten between the ears, and she purred.
“Where did you get her?” Darla asked.
“She saved my life.”
“Oh, I gotta hear this.”
Alan sat back down and told his story of Christmas Eve in the cold and finding a lost kitty. He watched her watching him as he spoke, her eyes wide and bright.
“That’s amazing,” she said when he finished. “Good thing you two found each other.”
With a smile, she reached out and touched his arm, leaving her hand there.
“We’ve got a cat too,” she said.
“Rex? He’s cute. I love orange ones.”
“No, silly. Our cat. Well, my daughter’s cat. She got him for Christmas last year. Do you like Tuxedo cats?”
“Tuxedo?”
“Yes,” she said. “They’re black and white cats that look like they have a tuxedo on. Some people call them ‘Tuxies’.”
“I never thought – I just thought they were black and white cats. Neat.”
“What’s his name?”
“Capone.”
“Where did you get him?”
The two women glanced at each other.
“SPCA,” Grace said.
She reached out and held Darla’s hand. Had he asked the wrong question again?
“It’s okay, Mom,” Darla said. “My husband was killed by a drunk driver, bringing Capone home for my daughter’s Christmas present.”
“I’m sorry,” Alan said.
“It happened over a year ago on Christmas Eve,” Grace said.
Silence.
“I’m managing,” Darla said.
Alan felt the heel.
“I’m going to go,” Darla said. “Chelsey will be getting home from school soon.”
“Okay, Honey.”
They stood up, and Darla went to the front door.
“Alan, I’ll see you again. I’ll tell Human Resources you’ll be coming in. Tomorrow would be a good idea. Bye. I love Poof.”
Grace and Darla said,” Good-bye.” They hugged and Darla walked out the door.
*
And she saw him again. She helped him land the job at the Co-op Grocery Store. Her visits to Grace and Tom’s home became more frequent, and she always included him in her visits. Alan called on her at home, and they went for walks, movies, and Langston Falls Lions hockey games. And they talked.
Many times the topic of conversation centred on cats – Poof, Capone, an Orange Tabby Darla had named Red, a Siamese called Tia from Alan’s childhood, and Buster.
One evening, Alan leaned over and kissed her lips. She kissed back.
In the spring, Alan found an apartment and moved out of Tom and Grace’s home. He thanked them with all his heart. Without them, he would be homeless and loveless and probably dead.
He spent much of his free time at Darla’s home. They enjoyed each other’s company with more conversation, playing games with Chelsey and watch television. Alan got to know Darla and Chelsey, and they got to know him. Whenever Alan met up with Darla, he felt special. She warmed and excited him. He had found the right woman. Each morning, he couldn’t wait to be with her at work and more so afterwards.
In October, he asked her to marry him.
She said,” Yes!”
They celebrated and spread the good news. Announcements went in The Langston Falls News and on their Facebook profiles. And they told everybody they knew or saw. The future looked bright for the glowing couple, but a darkness would soon re-enter Alan’s life.
*
“Welcome to The Second Chance Workshop again. How is everybody?” Jim said.
Several men said they were fine, the rest stayed quiet. Alan nodded and smiled. Alan had had his second
chance and was back on his feet. He had a good job and had gotten engaged. He didn’t need the workshop anymore, but Jim asked him to come this Monday evening and share his success story. They sat in a circle of chairs. Eleven men and two women attended along with Jim and Alan.
“We have a special guest tonight. Alan will be telling his story. But first, I want to share something,” Jim said.
“Last week, the police were called to the Maple Avenue Bridge as a man sat on the ledge, ready to jump into the freezing waters below. The police talked to him and tried to convince him that whatever was bothering him it wasn’t worth his life. The man kept saying he had lost everything and that it was hopeless. The police tried to distract him and pull him to safety. But this man who had lost hope jumped to his death. He’d given up. Whereas, you – all of you – have felt the same way. But you haven’t taken your own lives. Some of you have come close, but thanks to Jesus, you are still here. You are stronger than the man on the bridge. You’ve all been through hell and felt hopeless. With God, there is always hope. With hope there is strength. Don’t be like the man on the bridge. I will be conducting his funeral Thursday. You are stronger than him.
“Now, let me introduce you to Alan. He went through that hopelessness too. He wanted to die, tried to commit suicide. And he’s here to tell his story. Alan.”
Alan spoke his story of how Kim ruined him, how foolish he felt, blamed himself and lost hope. But he found something – his Ragdoll kitten – that gave him purpose and a reason to live. He pulled himself out of his despair with the help of Jim and Amy, Grace and Tom, and the Lord. He secured a new job and will get married next year. All because he found a reason to live – Poof.
“Thanks, Alan,” Jim said. “When you are feeling like taking that last step, find something to give you reason to live. It can be anything your mother or father, a child, a son, a daughter, a dog or even a small kitten. And, of course, Christ. Tough times don’t last, tough people do. Remain strong and the rest shall pass. Any questions?”
“Alan, how did you take care of all your debt?” one man asked.
“I declared bankruptcy. It was difficult, but I had no choice. A light in the tunnel came when they repossessed Kim’s car. When I heard, it made my day. I’ll tell ya.”
The Christmas Cat Tails Page 7
