R.I.P.

A bad thing happened this evening.

I was on my way to a work meeting at PPMC. I was driving along the road and saw a cat in front of me crossing the street. I slowed down, waiting for her to cross, and then kept going after she made it to the other side. Well, kitty decided to turn around and go back, I guess. I heard a thump and saw the last thing I hoped to see in my rearview mirror. I ran over the cat. I pulled over and sat there for a moment; stunned. A lady, who saw the whole thing happen, got out of her car and exclaimed that she knew the cat's owner and ran to get them. I ran to the cat and immediately became ill when I saw the damage. The cat's owner came out; a young man of about 19 or 20. He did't seem too upset, he just let out a dissapointed, "Oh no."

I started crying and apologizing and told him what happened. He grabbed a towel and cat carrier and picked up the kitty. I drove us to the nearby pet hospital. On the way there, the boy hardly seemed troubled. He made small talk with me, and also voiced a concern about how they were going to pay the vet bill.

We arrived, and they took the young man and his cat back immediately. I waited in the waiting room, trying to keep from sobbing too loud. The young man returned not much later and told me that the cat had died. He gave me a hug and told me over and over that it wasn't my fault. I cried so hard that the receptionist asked me if it was my cat, too. She didn't seem to understand why anyone other than the cat owner would be so upset. I paid the bill for the limited services and we went back to my car. As we walked out, the boy said, "Well, the good news is that I'm going to Hawaii tomorrow!". I don't think he expected my reaction; which was an outburst of more crying. I now was upset that this event may put a damper on a trip that I'm sure was highly anticipated. He just looked puzzled and said, "Nah, its all good."

Maybe he was just trying to act tough and cool. Or maybe he really wasn't that upset. I honestly don't know. I found out on the ride back that the cat was about two years old, and didn't really have a name; they just called her "Fluff cat" because of her long hair. I get the idea she was semi-feral; not that it makes this any easier.

There is a major twist to this story; by the way:

The owners of the cat (R.I.P.) are also the infamous Barking Dog Owners. The ones Ross has been secretly battling for the past two years because of their neglectling to care for their dogs and their subsequent nonstop barking from as early as 6:30am to as late as 10:00pm. I'm pretty sure the boy is the one who has the garage band that howls until mindnight almost every Friday night; and who sometimes has backyard parties that last past 1am. Here is a house full of people that I have had so much anger toward for 2 years, and now all I feel is despair, guilt, and like begging for their mercy.

I feel better knowing that I stuck with the cat all the way and did everything I could. I plan on sending a card and/or basket to their home. But I haven't figured out how to go about this. The boy didn't know about our families' disputs, so he obviously didn't have any angst towards me. It is mostly between Ross and his parents. This whole situation is so damn ironic, and one could imagine how ugly it could get. Hopefully it won't. God is in control of everything, and I can't help but wonder if this was to bring our families to some peace with each other. I asked Ross to drop the barking dog complaints, and he agreed to it.

I am pretty traumatized from the entire incident. Especially because I watched the cat die after I hit it; since I waited next to her while waiting for the owner to come. I get the feeling Ross thinks I am blowing it a wee bit out of proportion. It is frustrating to me that he doesn't understand my feelings. He has been sweet and kind, but he obviously isn't as impacted since he wasn't the one behind the wheel. Keep in mind, I was traumatized after running over a young man's skate board after it wandered into a busy street. I have always been known to take things to heart more than others. That's just me, and I'm okay with it.

Rest In Peace, Fluffy Cat :(