Six Police(men) . . . and

Six Police(men)

Six Police(men) came to our house today.
Sauntered through the gate, stopped for a moment and then took a moment to investigate our yard.
We watched, wondering what might happen next . . . .
Six Police(men), a car ride, and a trip back home and we knew there was no turning back.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

We officially had adopted a street cat.


Of course, initially, the cat (we were not sure if it was a boy, or girl cat) seemingly well groomed, but cold and hungry, dropped by our yard towards the week's beginning. It's sleek, black fur glistened in the sunlight and automatically my son wanted to keep it. He ran over to it and began petting it, much to my chagrin. I'd had enough cats in my early adulthood to know I did not want another one.

As the evening came, we grew concerned for the cat and put out a small styrofoam cup of milk for it. We turned in for the night, my son's concerns for the cat growing.

That was Tuesday; the cat returned Wednesday. It returned Thursday and almost suffered the ingenuity of a five year old: to imprison it in the back yard by closing the gate. I immediately talked my son out of doing so. I told him the cat had the right to come and go as it pleased.

Now it is Friday! As soon as my boy got home from school he eagerly went outside to play. As I sat in the livingroom, windows opened wide to watch him, he yelled:

"Mommy, my cat is back!"

'Oh, brother,' I mumbled under my breath.

We were making a run to the School Education office, the library, and Winn Dixie.

"He's not your cat."

No, you cannot convince a kindergartner that a cat that comes into the yard is not his.
The whole ride, from place to place, was filled with the insistent pleas of a kid asking me to buy food, a bed and milk for the stray.

And I did buy everything except for the bed. (Overstock.com has some good ones though.)

Pulling back into the yard's driveway, we rolled to a stop, got out and I began taking bags into the house to put away contents.

"Mommy, my cat is here. Mommy come!"

As my son ran around excited, I did the expected: got the cat bowl, filled it with food, water. I set it down on the grass. The cat approached it none to shy. My heart went a bit more soft when I saw it lapping up the water. I realized it had been thirsty to the max.

For the next hour or so, we remained outside; me sitting down in the car, passanger side, my son running around like crazy although the cat had the mouse with catnip. At a point, it hopped into the car and I picked it up to cradle it in my hands.

"I think I want to call her Six," my boy said.

"Six?

"Yes."

"Okay"

A few minutes later he added, "I want to change it. I want to call her Policemen."

"Son, you just named her 'Six' ."

"But I want to!"

"How 'bout we call her 'Six Policemen' ?"

"Okay."

We sat back in the car and Six Policemen cuddled on my chest. He then licked my neck and chin.

"Let me hold her," my boy said.

I knew there was no turning back.

Six Policemen was here to stay.

Amen!