Well, I don't want to be a small voice of gloom while Scout Prime, Athenae, and I'm sure a number of wonderful people from around the country see the beauty and horror of New Orleans.
To be honest, I couldn't make it down for all sorts of reasons anyway...but now I've got a very big reason to stay here in BR. The picture above is my cat Earl...and I sincerely hope "is" is still the operative term. He went missing last night.
While not unprecedented, this is HIGHLY unusual...as in he hasn't done this in about four years unusual, and not since we moved a year and a half ago unusual. I'm over at my office working on a lost cat poster.
Wish me luck. I sure hope my little pardner isn't gone forever.
UPDATE: I'm still holding out hope, but it's not looking good. I've searched, put up flyers, took out an ad in the paper...we'll see. But I don't think I really have a choice--hope for the best, expect the worst. Damn. Goodbye, sweet one. For six years you probably brought more joy to my life than anything. You will be SORELY missed.
Update Again: Some slight hope: after a couple of reports from people saying they saw a cat fitting his description, I likewise caught a glimpse: well if he ain't Earl, he could be his doppelganger. Unfortunately--or maybe fortunately, from his perspective--he's in complete survival mode. I got within 40 feet or so, and then he bolted...and he acts as if he doesn't recognize me. Ouch.
Well, two things here: ONE, damn I'm hoping it's him. Talk about defying the odds. Two, geez, now I have NO idea how to entice him...I dunno, maybe some food will do the trick...but it's gonna have to be, um, McDonalds, because if it's really him, he taken to a spot near one--he's probably been living off their garbage.
Lastly--even though it's close by, he's in a very rough neighborhood. Ouch again. There's a major four-lane artery between there and here, which might explain why he's been gone so long. How/why he crossed is anyone's guess.
A VERY nice woman told me she saw him when I explained why I was around...however, several young men stared wordlessly, with expressions ranging from contempt to downright hatred. I don't like saying this, but maybe they don't like me because of the wimp factor--I'm looking for my cat...or maybe it's because I'm caucasian. I mean...then again, at least they didn't speak contemptuously...or do anything worse.
I'm going to rest a tiny bit easier this evening. Tomorrow, I'll deal with the contempt/hatred, and try again. Here's hoping I get lucky and it's really him...and that he comes home. Or, if nothing else, that it's him...and he's more or less ok.
Sorry to get so personal, by the way...but I really DO like this cat...he's not just one of the family. For me, right now, he either IS--or was--the family.
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