Babu's Boo Boo

Saturday Evening's sky was so beautiful

Looking towards the SSE

Forget-Me-Not Cabin and the Hydrangeas in the evening's "sweet light"

On Monday the 4th, I had no idea that this was a foreboding

of things to come

as Babu often likes to listen to the birds sing

On July 5th he pushed out the loose screen in the bathroom window and was gone for about an hour before I realized it, judging from the noise that I dismissed as I wrote a birthday message to a friend.

I spent the better part of the day outside despite the heat, calling Babu and intermittently checking the neighbour's garage. Muji called too from the bedroom window sure, I think, that I was calling him. But somewhere along the way, I began to suspect that he knew Babu was gone.  I closed that window to encourage him to sleep, but I don't think he did. At one point I thought I saw Babu, but it turned out to be the neighbour's shy black cat that lives across the street who promptly ran home.  I parked myself in the shade of the ash tree that afternoon to do some branch clean-up  and continue calling.

It was a long day. I was sure, somehow, that Babu hadn't gone far but was just hiding somewhere. I had lots of time to think- beyond my self-recrimination and anxiety- and remember how Muji would probably suffer even more than we would without the comfort of having Babu to cuddle with, wash each other or play tag with before breakfast as Babu taught him to do.

In the evening I thought I saw Babu out of the corner of my eye in the mown hayfield, but it was a crow. It's amazing how your senses become heightened. Of course I was disappointed and exhausted by my self-imposed endurance test, but as dusk approached I walked up the street calling. As dark fell, I sat at the kitchen table when I thought I heard the sound of a cat. I ran outside in time to see a streak of black followed by a white streak go racing by. Within seconds I heard a scream and then another and ran first to the front of the house, calling, and then back inside to grab a flashlight.

I ran to the back of the house and, momentarily, Babu came leaping up against the wall of the walkout basement, close to where he first escaped, a feeble 4 foot jump. Upon missing, he crouched under the heat pump fan wherupon I tried to calm him with my voice, Babu growling all the while. Eventually I left the light shining on the wall that reflected onto both of us and went to wake up Wally, knowing I was taking a chance of losing Babu into the dark of the night.  From the open bedroom window, I told Wally I had found Babu whereupon he went flying out of bed and out of the room. I called him back to put his shoes on. I went inside to help him focus, but by then he actually had the presence of mind to suggest I bring a blanket (I brought a sheet) to throw on Babu.

Babu loves Wally, just dotes on him and as Wally spoke soothingly to him while Babu continued to growl, I came up alongside and patted him from behind with the sheet in the other hand. When he budged only a little, I took him by the scruff and pulled him into my arms where he lay, not struggling, sweet scared little boy that he was. Then I had to ask Wally to pull me up as I was in such a precarious position with my arms full. Wally struggled with my mass, but eventually got me up. We could finally laugh.

Except for a bloodless cut on the nose, I could see no damage. I knew that the morning would tell if he had any infections. Babu made strange with all of us and hissed as Muji came up and ran to hide, but eventually touched noses with Muji who sat quietly, waiting for Babu to come around.  Muji seemed to know it was alright and seemed genuinely calm for the first time all day. By the time I came to bed, Babu came to lay on the floor beside me, the safest place to be.

We all did a lot of sleeping the next day which was, fortunately, Wally's day off.

 

Muji looking beatific (with Wally's feet)

The two sweethearts slept together again

brothers of different mothers

nothing could make me happier

outside a small family of starlings, who have been nesting nearby,

gathered on the cabin roof

they all left, and then, this one did too

(our poor shingles- yes, Wally has plans to reroof the cabin)

Babu's Boo-boo the morning after

and for a Friday update, here is Muji after breakfast, where he sleeps still as I write this

Babu's cut is healing nicely and thankfully he has no infections

He must have run awfully fast

a morning repose, back to normal

It does make me wonder what animals retain in the way of memory and pain.

How quickly Babu seemed to forget how much we love him-

and yet, again, how quickly he seemed to come back to centre

as if the whole thing never happened,

playing, and cuddling with us and just being his normal self.

how grateful we are

not everybody has a happy ending

I hold that thought through happy times

It's all so fleeting

and we must be grateful for what we do have that is in place

and know that at this moment

there is peace.