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A Friend Like Sam Sam sat by a row of garbage cans, in an alley, off Oak Street. It was midnight and he was growing tired. The night had been long, he had patrolled his territory, a three to four block area, to make sure no one moved in on his piece of the neighborhood. Finding all in order he turned his attention to the hunger pangs gnawing at his stomach. He feasted on some cat food, left out by a housewife at the apartments on Main Street, about ten thirty. It had filled him up except for or a small place that still said, "I’m hungry." Sam filled that little space rather nicely by catching a fat little mouse. The mouse had been slow in crossing the alley. That was always a fatal mistake around Sam. He topped off the night with a visit to a pretty little yellow tabby on Eleventh Avenue. Cuddles was just that. Sam sighed and smiled contentedly. Sam was a nondescript, scruffy gray cat of dubious distinction, most of it; well earned. At sixteen pounds he was big enough and tough enough to be the dominant male in the area. His nose was crisscrossed with scars and he had only partial vision in his left eye. Powerful muscles rippled beneath that ragged gray coat. Many an interloper had come to Sam’s territory only to be soundly whipped and sent on his way. "Well, time to turn in," thought Sam wearily. Holding onto the neighborhood wasn’t getting any easier and he wasn’t a kitten any more. He searched the alley for a place to sleep. There was an empty garage that looked promising. It felt like rain and Sam hated to get wet. Sam walked into the dark garage. He was about half way in when he felt something -- something furry. A black and white shape rushed at him and he felt sharp claws rake his side. Sam backed up. The hair rose up on the back of his neck. He arched his back and prepared for battle, it was midnight and he was tired, so tired. But it was his territory and everything in it belonged to him. The stranger snarled and circled warily. It was annoying to be startled out of a sound sleep. He was angry and also prepared for battle. Sam hissed loudly, as if to say, "Kid you ain’t got a chance." The stranger stopped suddenly. He was angry, but not angry enough to start something he knew he couldn’t finish. "Sorry Sam. Didn’t realize it was you." Sam relaxed and nuzzled the smaller cat in greeting. He recognized him now. It was Jesse, a neighborhood cat Sam had taken "under his paw" so to speak. Jesse was a small cat only weighing about eight pounds. His coat was smooth and sleek. He was very quick and agile. That agility had gotten him out of some tough scrapes. It also made him a good mouser. Jesse was lucky enough to be cared for by some humans, though he still lived on the street. His pink collar, ID and rabies tags were symbols of domestication that made Sam a little crazy. "Hey Jess, how ya doin’? Haven’t seen ya in a couple of days." "Oh just hangin’ out. You know Sam, just hangin’ out." "Yeah I know where you been hangin. With your humans." "Actually it’s not that bad Sam. You ought to try it sometime." Sam scowled at Jesse who backed up a few steps to put some distance between them. "You know better than that Jess. I’m a street cat. Always have been. Always will be. Besides, I’m too old to change now. So don’t start with me. OK?" "Chill out Sam. I’m not trying to start anything. All I’m saying is there are certain advantages to being cared for by humans. If you get good ones." Sam laughed heartily. "Oh yes there are advantages all right, like that little trip to the vet when they first started caring for you. I noticed that when you came back from there you were minus a couple of parts." Well... OK, that’s true. But I get shots to keep me from getting sick. And I get fed on a regular basis too. I don’t have to hunt for my food anymore if I don’t want to. You know a mouse now and then. Just to stay sharp." "I suppose you like all the attention too," snorted Sam disdainfully. "Well the little girl is crazy about me. She pets me, brushes me and feeds me. "Sam, you’ll never know what it’s like to just lie back and let someone feed you cat food right out of their hand." "That’s what I mean Jess, you’re a cat! A cat! That carries a certain responsibility with it. You can’t walk tall like me if you’re cow towing to humans. There’s more to life than cozying up to the humans. Where’s your pride kid? Where’s your pride? I’ve seen you with little girl Jess. It’s.. it’s... it’s disgusting." "Sam, I’m too tired. Just too tired. You woke me out of a sound sleep and I’m too tired to argue with you tonight. This garage is big enough for both or us. Go to sleep. We’ll talk about it in the morning. And Sam, nobody, and I mean nobody could walk as tall as you." Sam for all his toughness was a sucker for flattery, "All right Jess. I’m tired too. See you in the mornin’. As the sun rose the next morning Jesse awoke, shook the sleep from his eyes, stretched and looked around for Sam. Looking to his left he saw him, sitting, looking out towards the alley. "Mornin’ Sam," said Jesse cheerfully. There was no answer. "Mornin’ Sam," Jesse repeated." There was still no answer. Jesse shook his head. Sam could be a pain when he wanted to. It looked like today was going to be one of those times. "OK I can see you don’t want to talk about it. So, what’s up with you today Sam old buddy?" Sam looked around at Jesse. There was sadness in his eyes the little cat had never seen before and it frightened him. He got up and went over to his mentor. "Sam what’s wrong? Hey you OK? Look I’m sorry about last night." "It’s not about last night, not exactly. You don’t understand kid. I was gonna leave all this to you." Jesse shook his head. So that was it. That was what it was all about. Jesse blinked back the tears. He didn’t know Sam cared so much. "Sam look at me. I’m tiny compared to you. I couldn’t hold the alley much less the neighborhood. Besides, the first one to challenge me would be Big Mike. Now how in the world would I beat Big Mike?" Big Mike was an alley cat of the highest order. He was an old black tom, a veteran of many battles, he had almost as many scars as Sam. And he had noticed that Sam was getting older and maybe just a little slower. He did seem like the logical successor. "I guess you’re right Jess. You wouldn’t be much of an opponent for Big Mike. I guess that one of these days he’ll whip me and take over the neighborhood. And I suppose the day is coming when you won’t need me either." "That’s not true Sam. Do you think I’d forget all you’ve taught me, all you’ve done for me. That’s crazy Sam." "Crazy huh? You’ve got the lady to feed you – the little girl to love you, what do you need an old tramp like me for?" "To be my friend Sam. To be my friend." "Oh all right. I’ll be your friend. Just try not to be so domesticated will you? Gives me the creeps. And another thing. If you ever, and I mean ever, tell anyone I got all mushy.. I’ll deny it. Understand?" Sam towered over Jesse as he spoke. The little cat knew, down deep in his heart, that no one would ever know. "OK Sam, look I gotta go. She’ll be putting my food out soon. If I don’t eat it some other cat will." "Better get goin’ then. But if you get there and it’s Big Mike just back off. Go catch a mouse or somethin'. "Will do Sam. See you later." "Yeah kid, see ya around." |
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