Lucki's Second Rescue

I'm lucky. I worked my whole career for money, but now that I am retired, I don't have to do that anymore. Now I can work for meaning instead, and that is why I enjoy rescuing cats in trees. This means something to me, and it certainly means something to the cat. The owners vary in the degree to which it means something to them, but they all value it or they would not have called me. Some owners show it or hide it more than others, so I can't always know how much the cat means to them, but I love when it is clear that the cat means the world to them, and knowing the story behind their life together makes it even more meaningful. That is why this rescue of Lucki -- it is actually his second -- is among the most memorable and meaningful of my rescues to me.

Lucki's second rescue was essentially a carbon copy of his first, and I recommend that you read that report to understand the whole story. For those with limited time or a short attention span, I will provide a summary of the story. About three years ago, Jackie happened to see someone throw a sack of something out of their truck, and when she checked the bag, she found four kittens, three of whom were already dead. The fourth kitten was alive but had a paralyzed back end. Jackie began caring for that fourth kitten. The veterinarian suggested euthanasia, but Jackie refused and took the kitten home, kept him clean, and gave him physical therapy for his back legs until he eventually was able to walk, and later run, just like a normal cat. The only lasting damage was that his eyes were permanently dilated, and there was nothing to be done for that. Jackie named the kitten Lucki, and those two beings are both bonded deeply to each other. During this time, Jackie was undergoing some health difficulties of her own, and while I don't know the nature of those issues, she is spending much time in the hospital and is much too young and vibrant to be facing such serious threats and difficulties. Lucki knows when she is feeling bad, and he snuggles up to her to comfort her. She was there for Lucki when he needed her, and now Lucki is there for her.

I didn't quite catch the story about how Lucki ended up in the tree this time, but the story included the common, essential ingredients of a friend visiting with a dog and a door that had been accidentally left open. As I was driving to Abita Springs, Louisiana to rescue Lucki, Jackie called me to say that something important had come up, and she had to make a quick trip to the doctor's office. She would not be home when I arrived, but I assured her that that was not a problem. I knew Lucki was in the same tree as before, and, with her permission, I could begin without her. I was sure she would be back by the time I brought Lucki down. When I arrived, no one was there, so I let myself through the gate into the backyard and found Lucki in the same spot in the same tree as before.

Just as before, I climbed the larger Tallow tree next to the tall, skinny oak that Lucki was in until I was level with him. He held his mouth open most of the time because he was panting on this hot, August day. He looked uncomfortable, but I could not tell if it was because of the spot he was in or because of me. I did my best to convey my friendly intentions and then moved closer to him. He was facing away from me, but once I touched him and petted his back, he began to turn around. It was difficult and awkward for him to manage, and he slipped a few times in the process, but once he faced me, it was clear that he trusted me. He placed his front legs on my arm, so I knew he was ready to step on my lap. I wasn't quite ready for that yet, but I quickly got into position, spread the bottom of the cat bag over my lap, and then invited him to step there. As he settled on my lap, I enjoyed lingering there with him a minute to pet him before securing him inside the bag.

We went back down to the ground, and I was surprised that Jackie had not yet returned home. I placed Lucki, still in the bag, gently on the ground while I ran back to my car to get a carrier. When I returned, I opened a can of food for Lucki and slowly released him from the bag. I made the mistake of assuming he would be comfortable enough in his own back yard that he would stay relaxed and eat the food which I could then gradually move into the carrier. Instead, Lucki sniffed the food and then began walking around the yard. As he was slowly heading toward the house, the back door opened, and Jackie came out just at the moment when Lucki was stepping on the patio. They were both happy to see each other, and Jackie scooped him up into her arms, held him tight, and pressed her face against him. Lucki was happy to see her too, and he relaxed in her arms and soaked up the loving. I told her to take him back inside while she had him, so she turned around and took Lucki back in the house where they are both safe and sound. It was lucky that she returned home at just the right moment.

Late the next day, I got a lengthy text message from Jackie thanking me for rescuing her Lucki. It was thoughtful, beautifully expressed and carefully crafted. It must have taken her quite some time to explore her thoughts, write them down, and organize them in such an expressive and coherent way, and these days, I am always surprised when it is done with perfectly formed sentences with proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Jackie took the time to do that because it meant so much to her, and she had much to say because she appreciated every aspect of this rescue. Almost everyone verbally thanks me after a rescue, but it is uncommon to get a written note and rare to get such a heart-felt and lengthy one. I don't need a thank-you note, and I am not suggesting that people should do that for my rescues. I am quite happy doing this for its own sake and knowing that the cat appreciates it even if he doesn't show it, but, at my age, I look ahead to end-of-life matters and look back at the life I have lived and wonder if I have done anything that actually makes a difference in this world. Did I accomplish or contribute anything of value here, or was I just a waste of the air I breathed? Thanks to Jackie, I can look back at her note and know that, yes, I have made a difference, and I can feel proud of that.