A Tail of Affection

Lawrence Sweeney spent his entire adult life

trying to shut out the cruel world around him.

He kept to himself and rarely ventured

outside the emotional cocoon of his home.

A thin, balding man, slightly stooped,

Larry talked to himself a lot.

He had no friends and his

relatives kept their distance.

Larry, they decided, was crazy.

He had never experienced the joy

of family, or the happiness

of being understood.

Or being loved.

Well, by anyone, that is,

except Olivia.

His beloved cat.

Yes, yes, I can hear you saying,

"But a cat isn't a PERSON!"

In Larry's case, Olivia was

far better than a person.

She was able to recognize the

loneliness Larry felt.

She understood him.

When no one else even tried.

When Larry rescued Olivia from

the recycle bin in front of his house,

well, let's just say it was love at first sniff.

They spent their days in deep conversation.

Larry would tell stories, and Olivia

would offer a heartfelt "miaow" whenever

she felt it was appropriate.

There were no words of rebuke if

Olivia jumped up onto the kitchen counter.

And she didn't fuss too much if

Larry was remiss in filling the water dish.

Just two friends,

sharing their lives together.

Each enjoying the company of the other.

Alone, yet not alone.

When the evening sun went to bed at the

edge of the Earth, Larry and Olivia would

listen to his favorite recording of

You Are My Sunshine.

Curled up together on the sofa,

it wouldn't be long before they would

both be sound asleep.

Contented.

Knowing they were loved.

But one evening, Olivia

was nowhere to be found.

To say Larry was frantic

would be an understatement

of epic proportions.

He searched high and low,

and, going out onto his rickety porch

he called O-li-viah! O-li-viah!

until he had no voice left.

Soon it was dark, and rainy and still

there was no sign of his beloved companion.

Larry walked from room to room,

still searching.

Still calling for his Olivia.

At bedtime several days later

grief-stricken over his loss,

Larry stepped out of his clothes,

leaving them where they fell.

Then he crawled beneath the

sheets and went to sleep.

Sometime during the sad, lonely night,

Larry was awakened by a noise

at the foot of his bed.

Startled, but still not quite fully awake,

he sat up and shook his head

to clear his senses.

There it was again!

After retrieving a flashlight from

the nightstand, he swung his legs over

the edge of the bed and softly stepped

onto the floor.

As quietly as he could,

he slowly took a few steps

and shined his flashlight

in the direction of the noise he'd heard.

Oh my God! Olivia!

There, curled up in Larry's clothes,

was Olivia, appearing somehow smaller,

but otherwise no worse for wear.

With her 5 newborn kittens.

Overcome with emotion,

Larry fell to his knees, tears

streaming down his wrinkled face,

to rejoice in Olivia's safe return.

                                                                             

The next day was spent

making room for the new arrivals,

and checking to be sure he had

everything they would need.

That evening, as Olivia nursed

her babies beside him,

Larry once again listened to

You Are My Sunshine.

Only THIS time, he sang along.

At last, Larry had what he'd always wanted:

A family that would love him unconditionally.

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Using the words: recycle   recording   recognize    rebuke   rejoice