| 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 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 battled-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 to those I cared for.
Many people want to be richer, more
successful, well liked, or beautiful, but, for me, I will always try to
be Ugly. |