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
should have been was a hole. He was
also missing his ear on the same side,
his left foot 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.
Ugly would have been a dark gray
tabby, striped type, except for the
sores covering his head, neck, and even
his shoulders
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
your 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
neighbor's dogs. They did not respond
kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. 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.
As I picked him up and tried to carry
him home, I could hear him wheezing
and gasping, and could feel him
struggling. It 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, 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, beautiful, but for
me...
I will always try to be Ugly.
