How Runner Hitched a Ride
Stretch, yawn, stretch. Ah, what a beautiful day. Stretch,
yawn. Ah, what a boring day. Eyes half closed, Runner looked to
the trees. The squirrels were high in the branches, the birds
were even higher. Her ears twitched and listened for sounds.
None. A few bees around the flowers on the patio, but she knew
better than to chase them They hurt. Her pet human was busy
punching those things on that machine. Busy, busy, busy. Everyone
except Runner. She was definitely one bored kitty. Stretch,
yawn.
Half dozing, she heard her pet human's voice in the place where
the cars park. Ears twitch. Yes! She did hear it's voice! Up,
stretch, yawn, lets go see. Oh, with the neighbor pet, talking.
Lets rub some legs and get some attention. Back and forth, around
and around. Come on, pay some attention to me.
Pllllllleeeeeesssss! Meowlllllll. Me. Me. Stop talking to it and
talk to me. Hush Runner, hush now it said. Well, pick me
up.....nnnnnoooooowwwwwwwllllll.
Wow, wait a minute, did I hear something about dogs? Yes, it
definitely said it was going to get some hot dogs. I know get and
I know dogs. That's enough for me. I wanna gggoooooooooll.
No Runner, you can't go. Stay here with me it said. Dogs, now
that sounds like fun, Runner thought. Runner's human went back
inside. Huh? The other human opened the door to the car. Ok, she
thought. This one's going after the dogs, so I'm going too. Up
and into the car. Get out cat. Scat, you cat. That much Runner
understood. Humans always said that to her and it meant she
wasn't supposed to go where she wanted to. Ha, thought Runner. As
if that will stop me.
The human went back inside and Runner quickly jumped to the top
of the car. She was used to going with her human, but always had
to be put into her carrier and then in the car. Couldn't see a
durn thing. Could only sit there and wish. But she had been on
top of the cars before and knew this one had a soft top. She had
dug her claws into it before. Lets just see what happens Runner
thought as she hooked her claws into the top about halfway
back.
The human came back out and was looking at the bunch of clanky
things it carried. It didn't look up. Step one down thought
Runner. The human looked around inside for the cat, but was
satisfied that Runner had left. The human made the car make
noise. Step two down. Then it started to move. Oohhh, thought
Runner. Here we go! At first Runner was going backwards and it
almost made her sick, but soon it was going in the right
direction and Runner was all eyes. Step three and we are on the
move!
At first it was scary and Runner's stomach was doing flip flops.
She was spread out, thin as a pancake. Then the car settled down
and actually came to a stop. Runner dared to peek a look around
and saw more cars than she had ever seen in one place before.
Then they started up again, but not as fast as before. Runner saw
more humans in the cars. Most of them were looking at her and
laughing. Well! I'm sure I don't look as silly as you do! she
thought. Humm, some of them had long fur, obviously pedigreed.
Snobs! Some of them had short fur and some had no fur. Must be
domestic short hairs. Mutts!
She rode with her front claws firmly hooked, her head up and
face to the wind, savoring every smell and sight. Oh my, what a
treat. Yes, yes, yes. I love this! The only way to go!
They soon came to a stop. Runner's stomach settled down and
after the human got out she unhooked her claws and jumped off.
All of a sudden the human started to yell. It had turned around
and had seen Runner. Oh, Oh. Trouble now. Yelling away, the human
ran into that big place near where they were. Let's go see. The
door slammed in her face. Ok, no problem, we'll check it out. So
Runner started off exploring. Nothing here but humans. Fat ones,
skinny ones. Pedigreed and domestics. Another door. She slipped
into this one, only to be shooed out again. I only wanted to
look, gee, no big deal. Scat, Scat, all I ever get, and off to
the next one she went. She finally found a couple of dogs to
tease. Fantastic. She let them chase her until she got tired,
then she chased them. She lost them in the dumpster. Stupid dogs,
can't even climb. Jump down, let them chase her again. Oh yes,
this was fun.
After a few minutes of this, she thought she heard her pet
human's voice. Ears twitching, yes!, it was her pet's! Oh, oh. It
was hollering at her. And it was holding the dreaded carrier.
Whoops, caught. Stuffed into the box, the human hollering at her
the whole time, Runner protested. Yooowwwllllll. I was just
having fun! Meoowwwlllll. Just trying to see something new!
Carrier shoved into car. Shucks. Here we go and I can't see a
durn thing. No wind in my fur, no new smells, no funny humans to
chuckle at. Not fun at all. And the yabbering. Wouldn't her human
ever be quiet?
Back in the house. Grounded. Bored. Sulking. Humans outside.
Yabbering and laughing. She thought she heard her name a few
times. Heard dogs mentioned too. Glad they're having fun. A few
minutes later her human pet came into the house. Great smells
came with it. Ummm, good smells. The pet put a dish in front of
Runner. It was full of the good smelling stuff, all cut up, red
and kinda round like. Wow, new food thought Runner, lets taste
it. Ummm, good taste too. Hey, human. Guess this means you're not
mad at me anymore, huh? Great!. What's it talking about now - I'm
eating hot dogs? I'm eating DOGS! Fantastic! I love it! I love
it! Ha! I've had my dogs and gotten to eat them too! Now that's
the good life.
And that's how Runner hitched a ride.
This story is reprinted here with permission of the author, Karel Bergstrom. Please visit Karel's Restless Legs Syndrome support site, Nightwalkers to read more of her stories and for the story behind the stories.