My Parents Are Here

The following is an email I received my parent's friend Kevin several hours before they arrived at the Entebbe Airport:

Hi Angela,

Please let your parents know that the cat has been found, treated by the vet, and is now resting comfortably.

As you may be aware, your parents were literally on their way out the door to see you yesterday morning when they discovered that the cat was limping badly.  Your dad called and asked if I would take it to the vet.  In order to ease his obvious anxiety, I quickly agreed.  But in truth, Angela, I was thinking, "Yeah, right.  Hey, Bill, I don't even take my own kids in for medical care unless there is lots of blood or exposed bone.  And you're calling me about a limping cat?  I'll check on it in a day or two, maybe three.  Yeah, three days is about right.  It's Easter-- I'll give the cat three days to resurrect itself."

That's what I was thinking.  But all I said was, "Of course, Bill, I'll be happy to take care of that.  Have a wonderful trip and don't worry."   Later, Bill called from the Tulsa Airport to inform me that the cat had vanished.  He gave me all sorts of details about how the neighbors were leaving their garage open, and how I could check to see if the cat had returned, and where the cat carrier was, and that Tim Collins had a blank check to pay for the vet.  I let it all wash over me, white noise running gently in one ear and out the other, while I made mindlessly reassuring noises in response.  The bit about the blank check stuck with me, though.

I later learned from Tim Collins that it was your Mom who gave him the check at the Tulsa Airport, along with instructions that treatment was not to exceed $500.  There were to be no heroic measures.  Bill was less willing to draw a firm line--  "Maybe a little more than $500," he suggested.

I had successfully ignored the cat issue most of the day, when Bill called AGAIN from the Atlanta airport, hoping for an update.  I assured him AGAIN that I would take care of it, and actually considered going over to the Inglish house to take a look that very day, instead of waiting for three days.  I was beginning to get the idea that Bill is attached to this cat in a way I had not understood before.  I recalled that, several days ago, when I mentioned reading about your pizza oven on your blog, Bill seemed oblivious.  Yet when it came to the cat, he appeared to be very eager for any tidbit of news.

Just as I was getting ready to actually DO something, I got a breathless call from Cindy, who had been working at the Bargain Box / Cindy Store.  She had heard from the neighbors.  The cat had returned, and she was going to go take it to the vet.  She wanted me to call the Collins' and get them to meet her there with The Blank Check.

Using state of the art diagnostic techniques, the vet discovered a metacarpal laceration (cut paw) accompanied by moderate fever.  The cat received two injections to ward off infection, and was transferred to the Baughman Recovery Center next door to the Inglish home.  Cost of treatment at Manley Animal Clinic was $100.  However, rest assured that Tim will find a way to spend up to the budgeted amount of $500.

I'm hoping that news of the cat's recovery will ease Bill's mind enough that he could manage to be a guest blogger on Inglish as a Second Language.  I am very interested in the trip and would love to hear all about it.  I'm so interested, in fact, that I may write to you again this afternoon requesting an update!

Kevin

I will try to keep you posted on their visit and the cat's recovery.