Faith and Fido

I've decided to write a series of short stories like I once wrote Prayer Group Tales (use the search engine).  Here's the first one.

THE INTRODUCTION

It was Faith’s 65^th birthday and she decided she wanted to give herself a present--a pet.  Although Faith loved all animals, she knew she didn’t want a dog because she didn’t want to have to walk it.  And all the fish she ever had died; besides the aquarium eventually smelled like low tide, and she didn’t want to have to clean that smelly scum. 

There are always birds, e.g., parakeets, cockatoos, parrots, etc.  

Again, there would be cages to be cleaned.

It is clear that the answer was a cat—a cat, not a kitten.  She didn’t want her pet to outlive her.  Who knows what would become of it?  And it would be an indoor/outdoor cat.  She didn't want to bother with kitty litter.  Cats clean themselves, so she didn’t have to do that.  Yes, she decided.

 

The next day, Faith went to the animal shelter to pick out her cat.  What a heart-wrenching decision!  She wanted them all.  She felt like rescuing the most desperate, the sickest, the feeblest, and the ones no one else would take.  The cutest and friendliest would find homes soon enough, but who would ever adopt the undesirables?  Faith didn’t know what to decide.

The shelter lady knew Faith’s dilemma and asked her some probing questions:

      Did she want short hair or long hair?   Didn’t matter.

      How old a cat?  Old

      Will children be in the home?    Yes

      Can I care for my pet?    Yes

While the lady was asking Faith her questions, the cats were eyeing Faith, ignoring Faith, making figure eights in and around Faith’s legs, or meowing for attention.  There was one tabby that looked old because although he was grey and black striped on his back and sides, he had a lot of grey and white that made him look old.

“How old is this cat?”  Faith asked because he was playing with her shoelaces like a kitten, yet had the coloring of an elder.

      She’s around 10 years old and has arthritis; she's on medicine, do you think you can care for her and bring her to the vet regularly?  Ha!  Maybe we can take the same meds Faith thought.  "How long is her expected life span?"

      She may live another 5-8 years, if she stays an indoor cat.

Faith didn’t want an indoor cat.
She didn’t want a sick cat. 
She didn’t want a pet that played with her shoelaces and looked so appealing and purred so loud and meowed so pitifully.

But Faith impulsively picked the kitty up and she instantly settled in Faith’s arms and melted into her body like a sleeping baby.

Faith was hooked.

After paying the adoption fee, which actually was free because of the cat’s age, but the vet’s bill, her medicine, the cost of her spaying, her flea and tick bath, her kitty litter, some toys, food, and a carrier, Faith’s purse was $ 300 lighter.  But Faith didn’t seem to mind. 

Upon leaving, Faith turned and asked, “What’s her name?”

      Fido  You’re kidding.

      No.  A cat named Fido.