Oliver and Company: Scarface
Chapter 2: Shelter
When you grow up in my paws, you learn things. You learn where to go, and what to do. You learn where, and what to eat. You can look a human, and make a decision whether or not to trust them by the look in their eyes. I have met some good ones, mostly kittens, and still I run when their momma comes around. I don't run away because I'm afraid.
In a way I do, not because of the fear of humans but the fear they may not want a cat like me. I hear them say: "Mommy I wanna kitty", and their momma says: "You can have a kitty, dear, but not that one". Those humans are right. They won't want a cat like me, and I accepted that fact a long time ago. That's the difference between me and house cat
Oliver looked tired, "Come, I know a place,"
I led the little orange puffball down a secret way very few cats know. Still, it is warm and there hasn't been a human or a subway train running the old line in many years. This was old City Hall station on the loop. I led him through the closed off door, and into the old station. I would have to say that this is one of the most beautiful places in New York.
And I knew this was coming, "I'm hungry,"
If I'm going to take this kitten home, I'm going to have to take responsibility for him, "Stay here," I said with a calm utmost sternness, and I turned my back to go on up to find some food. The sounds of police cars echoed as my ears took in the sounds of the city. I picked up a scent, and found some food in no time. It's a potato knish with a single bite.
This is just a big stroke of good luck. If you wanna live like me, you're going to have to steal. If you can catch a fresh fish in Brooklyn's Chinatown on 8th Avenue, you better not eat it out in the open and you better eat it fast otherwise another cat will try and steal it. Mice and rats are also on the menu if you can catch them. That's just how it is out here
It amazes me with how wasteful some humans can be. This one was pretty fresh too. It still had a little heat on it. I knew Oliver was going to need fresh food. He can't eat out of the dump. I took it, and scampered back to the barred doors to the abandoned station. When I came down, Oliver was no where to be found, "Oliver? Hey, Puffball!" I called out,
"Here I am!" he said from behind a corner,
"Jeezus-Crimity," I snarled behind my teeth,
"Sorry if I scared you," he said, coming out from behind the hiding spot, and went to eat. I looked down at him as I watched him eat. Oliver looked up at me, "hey aren't you gonna have any?" he asked, I looked at him and just walked away letting him finish the meal. He walked up to me like he was facing a beast, "you still didn't tell me your name"
"WILL YOU SHUT YOUR TRAP ALREADY?!" I lashed at him, I calmed down seeing the fear in his brown eyes, "does it really matter?" I asked rhetorically as Oliver turned his head away, "I didn't think so," there are bits of my past that I only keep to myself. I knew I did something I shouldn't have. I didn't see pain in his eyes. The little puffball showed pity
"Is this what the city does to a cat?" he asked
I lightly nodded, "You gotta be strong, you gotta tough, Little Puffball," I replied as softly as I could to him, "you're lucky, your time out here was short and you got saved by a human," it's hard not to look in those brown eyes, and see what never happen to me as a kitten. I looked away to the darkness of the subway tunnel, "there's no saving me kid,"
"You don't know that, you gotta take a chance,"
"You don't wanna walk in my paws, Ollie," I sighed, and decided to get some sleep, "we gotta long way to go, kid," my eyes grew heavy as I drifted off to sleep. I was slightly awoken when I noticed the puffball snuggling up to me. I wanted to nudge him off. I haven't told him my tale. I don't think he's ready for it, but there's a song I know by heart.
"I am a poor, wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
And there's no sickness, toil or danger
In that bright land to which I go
And I'm going there to see my mother
And I'm going there no more to roam
And I'm only going over Jordan
And I'm only going over home now
And I know dark clouds will gather me
And I know my way is rough and steep
And the beautiful fields that lie just beyond me
And I know my needs are rough and steep
And I'm going there to see my mother
And I'm going there no more to roam
And I'm only going over Jordan
And I'm only going over home now
Cause I am a poor, wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
And there's no sickness, toil or danger
In that bright land to which I go
And I'm going there to see my mother
And I'm going there no more to roam
And I'm only going over Jordan
And I'm only going over home now"