Part two.

There are two strays (that I have since found out that live a few doors down) that make the rounds and hang out in the back yard. They come by the front door and challenge the Edster to some staring contests-there are times when I open the door for our little trek to mom's house when I do not notice that they are in the area, Ed will step out, make eyecontact and run off in pursuit.

I then have to hope and pray-all this happens in milliseconds mind you!- that he does not go far.

I do like to watch animals run. Cats are the fastest and most graceful of all animals-but I have a hard time watching MY CAT run off into the night!

This night, the stary named Ms. Kitty is the pursued! She bounds around the corner, Ed and me chasing and as soon as I make it to the front yard I make a quick scan of the area! THANK GOD FOR WHITE!

My first clue is the white tail sticking out from around a fence. I approach the tail, look down and see he Edster! Yes! He hasn't run too far! He's at the base of a tree where he sits looking up.

I look to see what he has done and see Kitty hugging the tree at eye level, looking over her shoulder at this fierce home body that has put here there.

A second later Ms. K leaps over the fence and heads around the house and back into the darkness. I fear that they will head towards the side of the house that is rarely visitied by me so I charge after the pair......

Again, I make it to a spot where I see a white aerial, pointing out that if you look to the base of it, you will find a large white cat with little or no outdoor experience. Luck has saved me again.

BUT......

The dogs next door have begun to bark-that little chihuahua endless chorus- yipyapyipyapyipyapyipyap....and thru that din I hear the murmuring of the neighbor lady speaking to someone else on the porch.

Trying to make myself as obvious as possible, I make the requisite noises-ED, COME HERE! ED, You bad boy! I am gonna kick your arse! so that she knows that I am not sneaking around the perimeter eavesdropping on her evenignt chat!

I pick up Ed and head back home, wondering what she thought about the whole incident. Then I take a second, and tell myself that I don't care.

It's just another race to save my cat from his own instinct, his being territorial and my stupidity for not making sure he is 'safe' to travel..

I can handle the short sprints-
I am in it for the long run!