It’s been few months since I set my foot on this land of romance, tea and countryside. My accent is still same with burger’s and beer’s “R” RRR’ing all the way down my throat unlike other Indian’s who pick up the accent from the airport as my dear friend Sneha say, but I am still the same, in and out. Some hard ass Indian I am who wont budge to fancy English wind and culture.
One day I found this UK born and bought up, black and white furry stray cat in the backyard and I just walked out totally ignoring her. For a dog person that I am, I could do that with a cold heart, totally ignoring her like most of the handsome guys, who have all eyes for babes just walk pass me without even looking. Ouch! That hurts .Their nonstop meowing, demand for pat, rubbing body against leg and sharp pricky tongue gives me indigestion. The scar on my nose left behind my last cat always warns me to stay miles away from cats. Don’t get me wrong, I am not heartless person, I love all animals but not Cats. I love them at a distance, few miles away to be precise.
My land lady was having her breakfast with her family, 2 kids and her husband in the kitchen with Edna sitting quietly. I looked at her questionably for which land lady said “She is stray cat, she used to visit us all time but then she stopped now again she started to visit us. It is cold outside so we let her in.”
“Nice” saying I walked out. In this country where everything comes with pounds here was a lucky cat that was enjoying the warmth of the heater for FREE. Is she potty trained? doesnt she shed her fur? the usual questions were already revolving round my village head like earth revolving around sun.
It was just beginning of our love seed that was about to sprout. One morning when I walked into the kitchen head to toe covered in warm clothes, shivering with cold, cursing the weather when I saw her silhouette sitting outside the kitchen door, waiting all alone. Something in my heart tighten, the winters are bad, terrible in UK. Sometimes you want to scratch you bottom but when you think of taking out gloves and scratching your bottom with almost frozen fingers you give up the idea of scratching and look out for a place where you can rub your bottom. I couldn’t help myself from opening the door and letting her inside the warm kitchen.
The Brit cat walked in with head held low, with tail moving with a rhythm, from left to right to match her graceful walk. She looked harmless but beautiful.
“I am not gonna fall for that look, one scar on my face is more than enough to maintain my distance” I said to her and heating up the milk. She curled herself into bundle and sat by the heater without meowing. If you may wonder how I got my scar on my face here is the interesting story.
Many years ago when I was all small and alone,
With my siblings grown up like coconut tree
I longed for a company of another living creature
With a leg or two, luckily my mom found one with four
I took care of her, fed her, played with her
For she was my best friend whom I loved dearly
In spite of her infinite scratch mark on my hands and legs
Fur in my mouth and on my clothes
And a tetanus injection on my bottom.
It was one fine summer morning
I opened my eyes when sun rose
Before brushing my teeth I yawned in front of my dear cat
“Good morning Billu” I said with love
She clawed my nose, looking at me
While I cried and my mom laughed
Years are gone with Billu long dead
I neither love cat not I hate them
But when I see one I remember the scar on my nose
I kept on looking at her, there she is all alone in the world, no one to care and love and here I am far away from my home, trying to adjust in midst of strangers, love from my dear one expressed only through phone. Unlike the humans who bore you with their stupid talk she just sat doing nothing. First time I felt her silent presence comforting.
“I think I like you” I said opening the fridge and picking the milk can. Pouring the milk into her bowl I said “How you manage yourself Meow?” ignoring my question she drained her bowl. “Brave you are” I said scratching her head, she looked up when I stopped. “You like it, I can see that” I said scratching her head again. It’s the day I fell in love with Edna aka Meow. (I don’t know her real name, as she is Brit I thought Edna will suit her nationality, it is classy, elegant and lovely).
We Indain’s have history with Indianizing every single thing which we could lay hands on. From pasta to toilets, we didnt even leave the underpants on its own. Rich with Creativity we slayed every single thing invented by some intellectual foreign guy, over and over again with a broad smile on our face. The Indian in me surfaced and I thought of giving little bit Indian taste to Edna. I mixed the rice with egg and said to Edna who never tasted anything other than cat food and milk “This is yum, we eat all time”.
She smelled her bowl and looked at me and I screamed at her “Eat that Meow, eat, its yum, eat, eat”. But the Brit cat didn’t budge.
Our love was blossoming under the UK winter and cold; with her waiting every morning by the door and I opening the door and wishing her good morning, asking her where she slept the previous night.
After couple of months one weekend I walked into kitchen and found my land lady having her breakfast with her family only difference was Edna was sitting outside the door waiting with hope the door to be open
“She is not potty trained, twice she peed inside and she sheds her fur” land lady said to my questioning eyes. My heart was torn into pieces seeing her, all wet by rain waiting in the chilly winter. Like the crazy parents who try to separate their kids who are madly in love with each other, there was already a villain in my love story.
It was raining and cold and she had nowhere to go. People are always mean, we treat dumb animal according to our wish, when we want we love them and when we don’t we just throw them out just like a thrash. I couldn’t blame my land lady who fed Edna daily, she also prepared small cardboard house for her in which Edna never set her foot(I always laugh looking at the house and Edna’s ignorance towards it)I am sure she had her reasons but I didn’t like them at that precise moment as it was winter
It was the time I decided to find a forever home for Edna. I made a mental note of the things she needed immediately, a nice bubbly bath with fragrant shampoo, fur trimmings and a vet visit. For a person who I am who couldn’t find a Mr for me, I was on a mission to find a home for a stray cat in the foreign county. Crazy, definitely I am. When too much of cold air goes inside those two ears this is what happens.
I couldn’t anyone have her just like that specially without backyard which she loves the most, you see she loves to stretch after having her food and kids so that she can play. I started asking my colleagues, my manager. When some bachelors said they can take her home I said “Edna wont go to a house filled with bachelors, she needs a family, kids”.
When I told Nisha and Loly about my mission they were full of suggestions. “Stand with a board in the mall or may be sing Smelly Cat or may be stand with Edna”. I said “I am not sure whether Edna will be adopted or not but I will be. And Yeah I will be living laughing stock for my colleagues”.
“May be you can send her to animal shelter” Nisha said. “Someone will defiantly adopt her, she is a cutie”.
Sending someone you love, you care to shelter is heart breaking. They might take her in but who knows till when she have to wait with hope, happiness and freedom all lost in hope of better future. Her jolly rides, joy of climbing neighbors compound wall will be all gone. I thought for a while of Edna who was born and bought on the streets, who love to visit her neighbors, their patting with complimentary food, she may not like her new life.
“You are better this way, you have survived so many years and will survive few more I am sure with all the love and care in this world” I said her filling her empty food bowl.
It is been couple of months now, I meet her almost every day sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the evening. If I am lucky she watches me leave to office meowing all time. Its god to be in love especially with a dear cat like Edna
The story behind Stonehenge is interesting, like the heritage itself. Some says it used to burial ground may be that is why the crow is sitting there communicating with invisible but still living things.
Sheep grazing on the grass, historic monument with mind blowing English winter, it was pitch perfect like chilled beer . Definitely UK is breath taking place.
Felt sad for this lone stone which sits at a distance apart from the group. Every time it gazes at its peers catching up, on black moon day, or boxing day when noisy humans disappear, I am sure this lone guy will sit and weep at its ugly fate to be outcasted.
SnL World !!! 