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| Ugly |
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 there was
a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side,
his left foot had 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. His tail had long ago
been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would
constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray
tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his head,
neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. 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 into 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 feet your in forgiveness.
Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing
frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for
their love. If ever you picked him up, he would immediately
begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, or whatever he could
find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor's huskies.
They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From
my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to
his aid. By the time I got to where he was lying, it was
apparent that Ugly's sad life was almost at an end. Ugly lay
in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly
out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran
down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home,
I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him
struggling. "I 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 battle-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, or even 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 and
beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.
-- Unknown |
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