Ugly The Cat
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who UGLY
was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and, shall we say,
love.
The combination of these things combined with a life spent
outside had their effect on Ugly. To
start with, he had only one eye, and where the other one should have been was a
gaping hole. He was also missing his ear
on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one
time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always
turning the corner. His tail has long
since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk
and twitch.
Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except
for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing
scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there
was the same reaction. "That's one
UGLY cat!"
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults
threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their
homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave.
Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand
there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his
lanky body around feet in forgiveness.
Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically
and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately
begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbors huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back
twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran
down his front. As I picked him up and
tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel
him struggling. I must be hurting him
terribly I thought.
Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear
- Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my
ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he
bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye
towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battle-scarred
cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving
creature I had ever seen. Never once did
he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting
in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat
and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred,
deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have
true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and
compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and
for that I will always be thankful.
He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the
inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and
deeply. To give my total trust and
compassion to those I cared for.
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked,
beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.
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