Swap Shop

Sometimes I think back and remember what it was like when I was little. Momma took good care of my brother, my sister, and me, and taught us all kinds of interesting things. I loved playing around the barn where we lived, and I especially loved hunting. One day when we kittens were old enough to be on our own, Momma disappeared and one by one, we all went our separate ways. Momma was a great hunter and had taught the three of us everything we needed to be self-reliant and responsible adult cats. I was on my own and I did well, but I did miss the company of my family. And then one day, I met PawPaw. PawPaw was a huge, orange tomcat who mostly stayed under his house and watched as the world went by. Some- times he lay in the shade beside his favorite tree and kept watch. Sometimes, I would sit near him, but not too close, and watch too. When it rained, he would let me crawl under his house with him to stay dry, and when the nights were colder, he let me sit close to him while he purred. PawPaw was very quiet and only spoke occasionally, but when he purred, his sound was loud and it rumbled from deep inside his chest. His purr resonated through all the spaces around me, and filled my world with gentleness and peace. PawPaw did not hunt, and late at night he stayed upstairs inside his house. I guess he was old. One day, PawPaw also disap- peared. The weather turned really cold after that and food was scarce. I was older and bigger and I seemed to be always on the hunt for food. It was a little warmer under PawPaw’s house, and I stayed there when I was cold. One day I was really hungry and I re- membered that the lady who lived in PawPaw’s house would often put food outside for him. I won- dered if she would be willing to put some food out- side for me. One day when she came out, I went up to her and asked her for something to eat. She just looked at me. I guessed she did- n’t speak Cat, so I meowed a little louder. When someone doesn’t understand you, meowing louder often helps. I guess she under- stood, because she did put some food out for me and I ate all of it. She started put- ting out more food, but she would sit right on the porch steps and wouldn’t go away. Pretty soon I got used to her sitting there. Little by little, I trusted her more and more, and eventually came into the house for meals. I began to bring her little denizens of the wild that I had caught, just like the ones my momma caught for me when I was little. Today, I stay close to my human. She changed my cold and lonely life back to the warm, family life that I had loved. She says I’m her All American Girl, outspoken and fearless, and calls me Molly. I call her…Mom. Memoirs by Emma Sandwiches Soups Salads Banana Splits Shakes Sundaes Sweet Treats Inside McNeill One Stop 8014 Hwy 11 North Carriere, MS 601-798-3210 113 West Canal Street Picayune, MS 601-798-4993 S FINDING HOME www.southernsenior.info 23