“The Roof”

     “The Roof”

     The day began well.  Dave and I sat on the front deck while Kitty scurried about among the bushes.  Birds to stalk, bugs to dig up, lizards to terrorize, and scents to smell.  A full kitty day based on a packed agenda.  Yet suddenly Kitty decided to change course.  She dashed up our neighbor’s tree, walked across narrow branches, and then jumped onto their roof.  A great panoramic view of her kingdom.  Surveying all there was to see.

     Nimble and skilled as a trapeze artist…

in traversing the high places, Kitty was in no need of worry.  Many a time she has found a perch on our roof.  Surefooted and confident she sauntered across the roof as only a cat can.  Walking close to ledges as if they were a broad path.  Today however Kitty decided to go deeper towards the back of the yard.  Then she vanished.  It’s pretty hard to hide on a roof, but she managed.  Gone.

Well, what goes up must come down…somewhere. So we waited for Kitty to reappear.

     About 15 minutes later our neighbor came out and asked us, “Do you know where your cat is?”

     “Yes,” I replied.  “She is on your roof.”

     “You’re partially right,” he answered, “She was on our roof, but now she is in our atrium, and Ozzie (their dog) is frantically barking at her.” 

      I followed my neighbor into his house and looked out his opened sliding glass door that led into the atrium.  There was Kitty.  Desperately trying to scale the wall she had just minutes before so easily skidded down.  No matter how high she vaulted, she just kept missing the top of the wall.  She then planted herself on their deck and assumed attack position. 

Intensified by the danger, paralyzed by her fear,

…Kitty just couldn’t seem to escape on her own.   Meanwhile Ozzie, their adorable white and tan Jack Russel terrier, whose chief job descriptions include official guest greeter and protector of the home, was inside pacing back and forth while frantically peering out their bedroom window which also led into the atrium.

  Barking the cry of an outraged dog…

because of this offending cat which had encroached on his turf.  A clear violation of the Doggie Code and delinquency that must be dealt with immediately.  I could see in her anxious eyes that Kitty was terrified.   She began to cry and make abandoned, forsaken kitty hollers.  Their two voices blended to produce a sound to make any ear cringe.

I opened the sliding door into the atrium and walked up to Kitty and knelt next to her and lightly petted her, but her muscles remained taut.   Her fright kept her from recognizing my offered help.  I reached over and picked her up and held her fast against my chest.

 She  melted into my arms while still crying.

… I carried her through their house and out the front door.  As our front door came in view, she tried to escape from my arms.  I tightened my hold and walked her home.  Safely inside the front door, I put her down, and she ran up the stairs, into my office, and up on her chair.  Security at last.  I entered the room and sat on a chair facing her.  Eventually she calmed and, of course, wanted a snack.

     As I reflected on this, I was reminded of the verse in Psalms 40:2.

He has brought me up out of a horrible pit … And established my steps.

     What Kitty could not do for herself, I did when I lifted her up out the atrium.  Her stuck place.

     This is what the resurrection of Jesus did for us all.  In rising from the dead, Jesus pulled us up with Him.  Out of the stuck place of our sins and raising us up in His arms to that place of safety and protection becoming our Savior.

Happy Easter

by Kathy and Dave Benedetto, Storyteller and Editor

and Kitty, who daily practices on the high wire

From the Kitty Chronicles Easter 2020

for those who chronically love kitties.