The Stray

A stray cat keeps showing up at our farm. He's black and as wild as a panther—at least around me. With my wife, Diana, he's as sweet as a kitten. He poses for pictures for her.

One day, our dog Char chased it up a tree. Soft-hearted me, I felt bad for the cat and decided to rescue it. When it saw me approaching the tree with a ladder, it quickly and determinedly got down on its own.

The closest I've ever been able to get to the stray, was the day he got a paw stuck in the tines of a rake. I slowly walked near him, knelt down, and reached out to help—until he bit me. Diana watched sympathetically as I cleaned my wound; then she asked if I thought her precious kitty was hurt. So much for sympathy!

Needless to say, I now keep my distance.