Hobo Kitty

By Cindy L. Feather

Princess Mow Mow refuses to be left behind during her owners travels. She chooses to ride on the roll bar of her automobile. She attracts loads of attention from all types of people.

Hobo Kittys owner does not agree with the sacrifices the political leaders of the country expect from the middle-class homes. She goes off the grid, departing her household and looking for a better life or just some peace in her soul.

She soon realizes the jury is a mistake with the crazy cat on board. The cat soon adopts the name Hobo Kitty. Hobo Kitty wants to assist in many rescues of people and animals, placing them both in harms way. The adventure never really gives her a chance to search her soul and resolve her psychological issues.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543454741

Cindy L. Feather

I was raised in a middle class suburban home outside of Columbus, Ohio. A large family of five being the forth child. Growing up between two boys which has made me very strong in mind and body woman. I was picked on by my older brother constantly which in turn lead me to return the gesture towards my younger sibling. We spent most of our days outside playing in the streets only to be summoned home for our meals by a cowbell. At the age of sixteen I started my first job teaching kids how to swim. Out of High School I tried to further my education by attending a local technical college. My lack of discipline caused me to drop out after a year of full-time school and trying to hold down a full-time job. Trying to get ahead in Banking and Finance business. My lack of education kept me from advancing in the Finance world, so I started a small business with a partner as a domestic engineer. Enjoying the freedom of running my own successful business I I stuck with that for thirty some years of my life. Age however has become an issue. A friend encourage this story to be written. I have spent the past fourteen years educating myself about computers, and how to write well enough to produce this book Hobo Kitty. Which I hope and pray all will get great pleasure from this fiction story.

Book preview

Chapter 1

THE CAT THAT LIKES TO RIDE THE ROLL BAR

Mow Mow came into my life on one of my birthdays. She had been fed by many neighbors. One lady had taken her to the vet. She was around three years old. She was unable to have kittens. At the time, I preferred no pets in my life. My partner was feeding her. I asked her not to do so. She would keep coming back to the house. I would come home from work every day to find a little gray-and-white–striped cat was sitting on the front stoop. I wised up quickly. My partner had defied my wishes. I could tell the cat was waiting for food. I approached my partner about the feeding. She felt sorry for her. One birthday morning, I decided to open the front door, only to be greeted by the cat we now referred to as Mow Mow Kitty. I was tiring of her hanging around. There were no pets in the house. It was fall season, so the days were getting shorter and cooler. I made a decision to open the door. If she entered the house, it was meant to be. She came into house as if she belonged there all her life. I became instant buddies with Mow Mow.

The years passed with us having fun. Then one day, there was a game changer. Life was not so much fun anymore. Bad people took over the country. They wanted to change everything. All this did was create a lot of fear and anger. Our leaders tried to fight back, however, it was the wrong country. The people of that land were not the ones that hurt our homeland. Things just kept getting grimmer and grimmer. No good came from our efforts. The people of our country were tired, scared, and stressed. This was the way the leaders wished things to be. People were down and out and had no energy to fight. Professional people thought they were owed something. There was a huge problem: too many elderly people for the younger generations to manage, but not enough of us to go around. They needed help. People were living much longer. Not enough people were paying into the system. There were simply not enough of us working. Everything was going to fail. The wealthy and powerful people pushed too hard, only to have things the way they wanted. They cared only about themselves. I had been around enough elderly people. You wanted to have respect. However, when everyone only looked at themselves, all of the country’s problems disappeared. Time only became your time. Life was only about you. How could I get what I wanted from people?

There was the beginning of my problems. My parents were getting older. My clients were getting older. I was getting older. However, no one saw that part. Or they just wished not to see that change. I became cynical. I became depressed. Years had gone by, making me jaded. I would go to a job. People would speak to me like a dog, commanding me instead of asking nicely. They would just yell out your name to see if you would respond.

Elderly people got scared. If there was no family nearby, they became very desperate. They had all the time in the world to sit and think, staring out their windows, watching the birds fly free. When would they be free? Free of pain. Free of fear. I did not have these answers. Nevertheless, I tried to talk reason to them. There was no reason. I was just younger, stronger, and healthier. Elderly people saw that as the answer. Or anyone with a challenged life, they would sit thinking of answers. I soon became that answer. If I had seen this coming years ago, I would have made a career change. The demands on my energy and time did not matter to anyone.

It would have made things much better between me and my parents. I would not have been so jaded. I really was not much of a caregiver. I would have thought people would have seen that in me. I had no children. My partner and I gave up on employees. I did not want to take care of anyone. People, however, did not care. Fear played a large role in their behavior. Entitlement began to play into the picture. The bad economy helped. All the people of working age were desperate. They were losing their jobs, losing their hard-earned life savings. This was how the government wanted things to play out. People were willing to do whatever to survive. The public did not know this was all done with intent.

My clients thought they were entitled to more. No, please. No, thank you. Just get me this. Do that. I want. I want. I want. Bullying me around like I was dirt under their feet. My self-esteem was so low. I was so depressed. I could feel myself disappearing. I contemplated suicide every day that passed. Clients just made me fight for respect every day of my life. I felt like there was no way out of the pain. People were just beating me down so they could conquer and control. I had to leave. Leave to find myself.

Princess Mow Mow and I were having trouble at home. One day, I had some errands to run. I went out to hop into the jeep. It was summer, so the top was down, exposing me to the great outdoors. Down the road I drove, headed across town. My radio was blasting obnoxiously loud as usual. I arrived at my destination. I jumped out of my car when suddenly I heard a meow. I turned around to see Mow Mow perched on top of the roll bar, smiling ear to ear. Oh no, what was I to do about that crazy cat? It would not make a difference if I put the top up. The windows would be removed. I decided to put her in the back compartment underneath the removed rooftop.

She had changed my plans, so I had to return home immediately, unable to complete my task. As quickly as possible, I traveled back across town. I could hear Mow Mow meowing again, over and over. Next thing I knew, she was on the roll bar while I was going sixty-five. I did not know what to do. I was afraid that if I stopped, she would jump off and then I would lose her on the road. If I hit my brakes, would she fly off the roll bar? I tried to talk her down from the dangerous place while moving. She just scared me more by walking out on the edge. When I got a good look at her, she seemed very happy on that roll bar. My best chance was to keep moving. I headed back across town, not making any stops. I had to just get her home. I moved as quickly as that jeep would take us.

I never really calmed down. However, as I rolled down the road, I realized she was not going anywhere. I began to have fun with the situation, horns blowing often as we passed by them. Some blew their horns out of anger, some liking what they saw. People were holding up signs—There is a cat on your roll bar. Hang twenty signs. I was not quite sure how to take that information. She did have twenty toes. There were still only ten hanging over the edge. Here claws were tightly embedded into the cover of the roll bar—the cover only Velcro wed to the roll bar. I hoped that it would not let loose. She was a flying kitty. The result would not be good.

I was approaching home, getting off the highway. This was a whole new group of problems, the stopping and starting at traffic lights and then the stop signs. I was afraid she would jump off. I tried my best to keep moving, slowing down when approaching a yellow traffic light and moving extremely slow, careful not to stop. People were getting angry at me. I was slowing them down. I would travel the long way home.

Finally, we were returning home. She jumped off the car. My partner ran out to greet us. I was looking for you, she said, speaking to the cat. Then she was asking me why I was home so soon. I explained the situation while moving into the house. Mow Mow pranced into the house, going first as usual. She was proud and happy. My nerves were shot, so I had a cocktail. It was early still. I did not care. It would settle me down.

Nothing was right in my life. People kept telling me to live my life. No one was allowing me to do so. I was troubled. I could not see a way out. My life had somehow become everyone else’s. I fell asleep eventually that night, knowing it would not be a peaceful rest. Princess Mow Mow perched next to me. I fell asleep that night petting her. She always sensed when something was not right. Waking early the next morning, I got out on the wrong side of the bed. I should have left to do my errands. I should have tried to fall back to sleep. I came out into the kitchen, making noise as I was putting dishes away. I woke up my partner. Her not being a morning person made a scene as usual. My nerves had had enough. I started to pack my things, only what I needed. I was thinking only of where I would go from here. I had lived here a long time. I had no plan, just getting out. Everyone in my life had betrayed me. Or that was the way I saw things. There was too much drama in my life. I was cooked.

I loaded the car so quickly. You could not have seen a cat’s tail spin. My partner stood and watched, not saying a word. She knew she had pushed too far this time. I told her goodbye.

When will you be back? she asked.

I do not know where I am going. Or when I will return. If ever, I told her.

When I was settled, I would send for my other things. I just needed to go right then. I did not want to do or say anything I would regret later. She told me she loved me and that my things would be there when I returned, confident that I would return someday. I jumped in my car and started down the road. I needed to take care of a couple of things. One would be easy. The other would be the most difficult thing I have ever done—closing out my finances. I would need all my money. My intent was to start out someplace else, where I knew no one. I could start a new life. There will be no one to beat me down or try to control me.

I took care of the finances. Next, the difficult thing: up to see my parents, to tell the only person that mattered to me, my mother, that I was going to leave. She would tell me the same thing, that she loved me. My mother would try to change my mind. I had to leave.

Next stop was my parents’ home. I must say goodbye before taking off on my travels. This would be difficult. I loved my mother so much. My father always stood in the way of the relationship. I did not understand his attitude. I needed to go. He did not love me. I always felt like a burden.

I was nervous arriving at my parents’. They lived off the main road. Their home was set back into a heavily wooded area. I stopped my car. Out jumped that cat. Mow Mow was running around, happy at play. She looked like a crazy cat. I did not know she was in my car.

My parents had two cats of their own. They must have heard us. My father let them out of the house. Of course, they came out to investigate, charging at Mow Mow like bulls. She, however, stood still, not moving a muscle. Howard was aggressive, sniffing around Princess Mow Mow, not sure what to think of her. Mow Mow stood still. She was not on her turf, so she remained quiet and still. Suddenly, my parents’ cats took off. Mow Mow did not move. She ran back to me. Only once did she turn around to glance at the other cats. She had not been anywhere where she did not find the need to defend herself. She would go outside. Every animal that came into her yard was a target. I was sure she felt the same. The female cat approached her for the first time. Suddenly, she leaped high into the air, landing on Mow Mow. Mow Mow was startled. She lunged back. Off they ran, all three cats in full play. They were bouncing, prancing, swatting, and going up on their hide legs to play. I was in the clear. The cats were having fun together.

I headed inside. Mom was in her chair. I gave them both kisses, greeting them hello. My father asked about Princess Mow Mow.

She had been climbing in my car. This is something new, I explained. She took a ride with me across town. Scared me to death, jumping out of the car once I arrived. She likes to ride on the roll bar.

My parents found this humorous. I thought it was a pain. I told them I did not know she was in my car today. I will have to make sure she was inside from now on, anytime I was leaving. I cannot have her riding around on my roll bar. My father of course did not understand my attitude. He and I never saw eye to eye on anything. He was always taking the opposite stance. I think it was to irritate me. He got pleasure out of my pain. I sat down in front of Mom. She knew something was up.

What is wrong? she inquired. Just at that moment, all three cats jumped on the picture window. This act cut the intense mood surrounding the room. Mow Mow meowed and meowed. Dad went to let them in. I told him not to let her in. He did not listen. They all came in running. Princess Mow Mow ran to me. She came up to say hi. The other two cats followed, both greeting me, and then off they ran. All three cats ran down the hall like thundering elephants. They ran around the house, playing. My parents got great amusement and laughed watching the cats play together.

My mother repeated her question. Dad had always been oblivious to my moods. He was unaware of my habits. I asked Mom why she thought something was up.

You never come without calling first.

I had begun to pace the floor of their living room. I told them I was leaving town tonight. She began to cry. I felt so bad. I knew it would upset her. Dad started to yell at me. This was accepted.

You are selfish. Your mother needs you. You are leaving her.

I told him he was part of my problem. This was a prime example of why I was going away. You do not love me. You have always treated me poorly, treating me like a stepdaughter. Or a second-rate citizen. You are not helping mom. She needs us to talk. You just yell. You’re treating me like I thought you would.

Mom regained her composure. I spoke with her and to her only, explaining to her how I felt and why I must leave. She began to cry again. Mow Mow jumped on her lap. This had been normal behavior with me, when I wept, demanding my mother’s attention. She had begun to rub her face all over my mother. It made my mom feel better. I told her that was what I got when I cried. I spoke with my parents for a while before telling them goodbye. My mother asked me if she could say anything to keep me here.

I have made up my mind, Mom. You all will be better off without me. I seem to make everyone mad, demanding more from me than I can give. People at work along with my family have broken me.

She began to cry. I have only seen my mother cry a couple of times in my life. I gave her a big hug and a kiss. She asked me how long I would be gone. I did not have a clue. She told me I would probably not see her alive. I told her I loved her. My next move was a motion for Mow Mow to follow. She ran out the door ahead of me. I began to cry. My mother was the only one I really cared about in my family. I knew my family would take care of her. My father would do most of the work. The bad part was he had beat her down. Even as she struggled for life, he did not take responsibility for his actions. My father was a bully. He probably had been that way his whole life. My mother was much more intelligent than him. He had to push everyone around. That way, he could control her and us. I thought it was okay for him to control the kids, but she should have been his equal or partner.

Chapter 2

UNINVITED GUEST

I did not return home. I knew Mow Mow was going on the road. I could drive as far as this tank of gas would take me. I would buy the supplies needed for the cat. Hours passed. Princess Mow Mow was on the roll bar. She was happy to be with me, basking in the afternoon sun. I had finally stopped crying. I settled into the adventure, not knowing how things would turn out. My first stop was due. I tried to stop in smaller towns. I figured people would be more welcoming. The first stop was in a heavily populated area. When I stopped, the cat leaped off the roll bar. I grabbed the car keys. I paused for only a second to yell at a man inside.

I will be right back for my car.

Lady, you cannot leave your car in front of the pump.

Sorry, I will return.

Before I was able to get out of the car, she was around the corner of the building. I followed the cat, trying to catch up with her. She was around the next building or home about the time I cornered that same building. I kept yelling for her, but she just kept running. Then, all of a sudden, she stopped running. She jumped into an open window of a home.

I got to the window. It was too high for me to see into. She forced me to go to the back door and knock. An old lady answered the door. She would not open the door completely. I told her my cat was in her house. The old lady noticed the open window in her kitchen. I followed her eyes around the room. That old lady started to laugh. She opened the door wide and asked me into her house. The back entryway came into her kitchen.

There sat Mow Mow in a kitchen chair with a large plate of fried chicken in front of her. She had not touched the chicken on the table. She started meowing again. I told her no and then swatted her off the tabletop. She immediately jumped back up on a chair. That cat looked up at the old lady. An ungodly meow came out of her mouth. A pitiful meow—Please feel sorry for me, meow.

She and I got a large belly laugh over that one. I explained to her that chicky bird was Miss Mow’s favorite. I apologized for the intrusion. She insisted we stay to enjoy lunch with her. I was not going to pass up that home cooking while out on the road. I dealt with the elderly enough that I knew there would be a price.

I suddenly thought about my car. It was still sitting in that poor man’s gas station. The jeep was taking up space in front of a pump. I asked Gladice if I would have time to run back to the gas station. She asked if I stopped at Elmer’s place. I did not know. I was setting in front a pump. No one can get gas. She reassured me he had moved the vehicle. I did not leave any keys. He will get it moved.

Can I leave Mow Mow here for a spell?

Absolutely, Cindy. She is fine with me. She told me again that he would move the car. I ran back as fast as I could go. I made several wrong turns running through the houses. Elmer was inside the station. My car was parked on the side. I suddenly noticed that my car was clean and shiny. I did not leave it that way. I slowed down. The garage door was open, so I walked inside to speak with Elmer. He immediately asked about the cat. She was at Gladice Happybottom’s. She was attracted to her fried chicken.

Elmer laughed. You can smell that chicken for miles. He told me he was sorry, he had to move the vehicle. I filled it up for you. I looked at the plates. My assumption was that you wished to have a full tank. I hope this was okay, lady.

You assumed correctly. Thank you for not having my car towed away. As I stood speaking with Elmer inside the station, I noticed how organized and clean his place appeared. The floor was even clean and shiny. I thanked him for cleaning my car.

Elmer responded, saying he had nothing else to do today. He had everything fixed. Your oil is a little low.

I did not have a chance to have it checked before leaving home.

I have time to change your oil if you wish. Yes, if you will leave it just for a couple of hours. You will be eating at Gladice’s? Elmer assumed again. He said I did not have the cat.

Oh yes, she would not take no for an answer. I really need to get back on the road. ‘Your rush is not necessary,’ Gladice said. ‘You must be relocating for another job.’ I guess there is really no hurry. I am just used to being in a rush back home.

Go have a wonderful lunch with Gladice. He asked me to have her send a piece on over. You can pay me when the job is complete.

I asked him if he needed a deposit or something. I was from out of town.

No, miss, I just need your key.

Back at Gladice’s, I asked her where I should sit.

Wherever you would like.

I proceeded to introduce myself. She was Gladice Happybottom. She told me to laugh. Everyone did. I asked if I could help.

No, you are a guest in my home. The company is wonderful. She set the table. It was all her best china, silver, and crystal. I told her this was over the top. I do not get a chance to use this much. She prepared fresh green beans. She did let me snap the beans. They were from her garden.

The cat kept trying to climb up on the table. I would swat her little nose. Gladice would get upset with me. She never spoke. She just sighed heavily. We had mashed potatoes with chicken gravy. I told her not to go to all this trouble.

No problem. I enjoy doing so for you. Gladice appeared to be very old. I knew she was at least eighty. I assumed much older. You never asked a lady her age, so I kept silent. She pulled a jar out of the refrigerator. It appeared to be apple sauce, or something of that color and texture. Next, I heard the oven busy. Out came the most beautiful biscuits. She put them on a plate. Butter was already on the table. She told me to help myself. I told her I would wait for her. Mow Mow jumped on the table. She was not invited. She jumped over everything just to get to the butter. Mow Mow loved butter. I reached for her. She swatted back at me. Mow Mow moved on down