As promised from the previous post introducing her, here is the story of Obsidian Mystic JuJu Magic to our family.

We have been just heartbroken since Thunder has gone missing (6 weeks ago Wednesday). I had made signs and put them up in various places inside and out and I had a lady last week call me while I was on my way to go pick Asher up from school. Her daughter had saw one of my signs at the vets office, knew her mother had taken in a gray and white stray and gave her my number. I’m driving and I had missed the call somehow so I was listening to the message she left. My heart leapt out of my chest! I called her back as fast as I could, told her who I was and I began asking her questions about Thunder. She had picked him up about the same time he had gone missing, he came to her place after a storm. Her place, by the way, is not too far and it’s not unrealistic to believe he could go there. She told me she knew he was a pet by how friendly he was. That had me wondering because that didn’t sound like our Thunder, but maybe he was glad to have a person let him in and feed him so he went for it. She described him to me and I felt that has got to be him. Everything added up. I made arrangements to go to her house right after I picked up Asher from school.

I couldn’t wait to tell Asher! I could barely contain myself as I waited outside the doors where he would come out of school. When he came sauntering out I jumped and yelled hurry! We ran to the van and he asked why are we running?! I told him I had a surprise… well that lasted 2 seconds and I blurted out somebody found Thunder! The look on his face was pure elation and brought tears to my eyes. We got in the van and went squealing out of there.

Asher jabbered on and on about how great it was going to be to see his Buddy and he started breaking up as he talked his eyes now glistening with wetness. He beamed at me and said Thunder would never leave him on purpose would he? I agreed with everything and then it hit me, what if it’s not him. I mentioned it to him, let’s not get too excited – there was a chance it wasn’t him. He shook his head, not speaking anymore. And I couldn’t help but be concerned over what I had done. I should’ve waited to tell him and go see myself first. Too late for that now. I was in chin deep and had brought him with me.

It only took about 10 minutes to get to the place she had told me. We went running up to the door and knocked. Nobody came. We knocked again and then finally some old man came to the door. I asked if Erma was there (she had told me her name), he said she lived on down so we got back in the van and went to the place I thought he meant. Went up to that door and knocked and another older man answered the door. Still the wrong house. But it was right next door, because he was her son in law. So we ran across the yard and lane to her trailer, knocked on the door  – I could see in through the glass storm door and saw her coming but no cat. I told her who we were and she opened the door smiling and I anxiously asked where is he? She pointed and out from behind a chair came a curious, beautiful, big gray and white male cat… but not Thunder.

*imagine the saddest music ever right here*

I quietly and slowly said “Oh… that’s not him.”  I looked at Asher. His dreams were crashing as he looked at the sweet kitty that wanted attention. We were all silent for what seemed like forever. Erma said she was just as let down as we were. Well probably not quite as let down, but she seemed sincere. She was an old lady and lived alone and had 3 inside cats already and some outside, too. She already had a male inside and this new one wasn’t fixed and she was having to keep them apart. Now we had talked about Thunder being fixed on the phone together, but she just wasn’t sure if this one was fixed or not. When I saw him, there was no mistaking it… Kapow!! There were the boys if ya know what I mean. haha… she was hoping we would be taking him off her hands so hers could roam free again. She had even taken him to the vet and got a rabie shot and got medicine for a upper respiratory infection in this stray. But oh, was he loveable.  He just loved on me and I melted. I asked Erma what was she going to do and she said I don’t know. I wanted to take him home but while we were talking, Asher had gone outside to the porch and had found a little black kitten and was holding it looking all sad from the letdown.

I asked him to come back in and proposed to him and Erma what I was thinking. I could tell Asher was not into it so much. He wanted his Thunder. He asked if he could go back outside with the kitten. Erma and I talked for a little bit and then we both went outside to the porch too and sat on the swing together and watched Asher play with the kitten. We were there probably 45 minutes talking. She told me about the cats in her life and the husbands… haha… we hit it off. She told me she really had wanted to keep the gray cat but her daughter was worried she’d end up with all these cats. Erma told me she was 70 something. I can’t recall, exactly the number but she kinda was saying it like she didn’t have much time – or maybe her daughter worried she wouldn’t be able to care for herself much longer. Either way, I could tell she wanted that cat. I couldn’t blame her, he was so affectionate!

So I didn’t mention it any more and we just swung in the swing. Erma said you can take that one, he likes that one as she pointed to the kitten. The mama cat had come up and wanted attention, too. She said she had already given all the other kittens away and this was the last one that was left. She had just gotten the mama cat fixed. Asher turned around and looked at me, mixed emotion on his face. I asked him, do you want her? He shook his head yes.  We kept swinging and talked a little bit more and I said well we better get going, it was a school night still. I could tell she didn’t want us to leave, she was enjoying the company. I asked her again are you sure about the kitten? Yes yes she said, I’ve got to get rid of it. I asked Asher again are you sure you want it? He had a little bit more of a gleam in his eye this time and looked a little hopeful. She said take her! I asked her if I could give her some money for it and she said no no, here take this kitten food, too.

It was kinda awkward, I didn’t really want to leave, but I didn’t know what to say next… should I say we’ll see each other again? So I told her, well I know where you live and you’ve got my number … and left it at that. We said our goodbyes and walked back to the van as I thought about how she sorta reminded me of my grandma, my mom’s mom who died when I was 19. We were very close and I had even lived with her for a short time. I thought about how life ends sometimes… alone… or too soon. I hope we brightened her day by sharing time with her I know I enjoyed her company. I really do have plans to go back and just chat sometime while Asher is at school. Time gets away so fast.

So, I tell Asher that he can have that kitten with one condition (a little late since we were all in the van but to an 8 year old he didn’t know any better). The one condition was that I get to name her. He gave me a bit of a disgusted look but agreed. I was not having this sweet kitten named after something from Halo, Plants vs. Zombies or the likes… ha ha  (video games)

I knew this was going to have to be “his” cat. That’s hard for me, cause I want to cuddle with all cats and hog them for myself… He said to me “Do you think Thunder will feel replaced when he comes home?” (my heart cracked a little – doubting Thunder will return) I told him, this kitty isn’t replacing Thunder… if Thunder comes back, he always has a home here and that seemed to make him happy and he pulled the kitten just a little closer.