Sunday, October 19, 2008

Affectionate Advice 10/19/08

Love, and do what you like.

Saint Augustine

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There was an acting teacher named Michael Shurtleff who would say that the first thing an actor should look for in his character is the love. Where is the love? It could be love for another person, for a family, a job, a career, a hobby, a house, a pet. Wherever the love is everything else relates to it.


I knew a woman who lived in a big, beautiful house in Southern California with lots of land around it. She had a husband, two grown children and a lot of animals. There was a stable with two horses. In the house was a singing bird of some sort, a tank of tiny fish and a small, sweet dog. Outside the house there were 22 cats. That's not a misprint. 22.

Only one of those cats ever came into the house. The rest lived in the trees and bushes around the property. I was visiting her one day at feeding time. She would mix up a big tub of food, take it outside and put it here and there on some wooden boards in a corner of the property. The cats came from everywhere, out of the trees, from around corners, up out of the ground for all I knew.

She never gave names to any of them although she recognized them all. But one of them was called Trouble because that's what he was. He was definitely the bully of the group and the other cats stayed away from him.

But he got into a serious fight with something because one day he should up at feeding time with a very badly wounded eye. No one could get near Trouble, so it was impossible for her to take him to the vet. She called the vet and explained the problem. He told her to come over and he would give her something to help.

What he gave her was a powder to mix with the food that put all the cats, including Trouble, to sleep for a while. So she walked through a yard full of sleeping cats, picked up Trouble, put him in a box and drove him to the vet. The vet removed his eye, kept him for a few days and then she came and got him.

When she got home and let him out of the box he took off. But he was back the next day at feeding time.

She loved those cats.


DB - Vagabond Journeys

dbdacoba@aol.com

http://wingstoart.livejournal.com/

6 comments:

betty said...

she sounds like a wonderful woman to feed them and love on them

betty

Dannelle said...

To show love like that is a honorable act. We need to SHOW and ACT on the love we have. It doesn't do anyone (or cat) any good if we don't. Love you, Dannelle

Big Mark 243 said...

a very interesting story!

Beth said...

I would imagine that everyone loves something, even if it's only themselves! Glad to hear that Trouble was okay, even if missing an eye.

Hugs, Beth

Lisa said...

Well I guess you would know that I loved reading this story! I am happy to hear Trouble made it through his ordeal.

Joyce said...

I certainly connect to the love of a cat (or cats). This is the first time in my life that I have been without one (literally). My long time companion Smokey died last Dec. I just can't seem to replace her.
Hugs, Joyce