What Would You Do ... Part 2

Okay, if you haven't read the previous blog, please do.

That poor kitten crouched in the middle of the expressway. It didn't have the best of fortunes to be there, but it did have some luck. Every vehicle that passed over it straddled it and had enough clearance to miss it. Other vehicles were going around it. But it was clear it was burning through those 9 lives quickly.

Three things went quickly through my mind. First, since the kitten was staying in one place my guess was that it had been hit. Second, with dozens of other vehicles around I figured that some cat lover would stop for it. Third, I remembered all of the stories of the many people who get hit each year trying to corral or help animals on the road.

So again, what would you do? Rescue the kitten which was probably hurt? Let nature take its course? Hope somebody else would do it?

By that point I was pretty well committed to making my right turn and the shoulder wasn't suitable for pulling over, so I made the turn. I figured that somebody would stop, but I also figured that they might need a hand. I knew that I could use one if I stopped ... so when it was safely convenient I made a u-turn and headed back. From the left turn lane to get back on the expressway I could see that the kitten was still there. Nobody had stopped and the next bunch of cars were on the way. Again, that kitten was lucky that nobody hit it. It stayed where it was. There were cars that changed lanes to avoid it, but nobody stopped. With nobody behind me I turned onto the expressway, which had a good sized dirt median. When I got up to the kitten in the opposite lanes I pulled onto the median. I saw that the kitten was in a crouch there and watching me. It had been hit and I could see its tail was in bad shape. Again, what to do...? At that point there was no traffic coming towards the kitten, so I got out, popped the trunk and grabbed a blanket. I figured the blanket could either go under the kitten, if it was willing or over it if it wasn't. Still no traffic ... I started towards the kitten and when I was about 6 feet from it, it took off. Across the median strip and the other 3 lanes and into the shrubbery on that side of the road. Thankfully there was no traffic in those lanes at the time. It ran quickly, but somewhat sideways so my guess is one of the hind legs was broken too. I retreated to my car on the median. When all was clear I drove to the shoulder, got out, and searched the area where the cat had disappeared. I could not find the kitten. I can only hope it hadn't used up all its luck and found its way to rescue...

I guess what stands out the most for me in this experience is the almost surreal events and that while many people saw the kitten nobody else stopped to help. Food for thought at the HotBlog stand...

What Would You Do?

I had something happen today that was just like it was out of one of those psychological profiling exams. Very surreal...

You're driving down an expressway. The road in your direction is three lanes wide and you are in traffic in the rightmost lane planning to make a right turn ahead. There is a car in the center lane a couple of car lengths ahead of yours and far ahead of it you see something in the middle of their lane. From a distance it looks dark and unmoving, like a bunched piece of cloth. As the car in the center lane passes over it, you see it scurry to the very center of that lane and the car passes over it without hitting it. You see that it is a crouched kitten, very much alive. What do you do...?

I think I'll let you ponder and weigh in before I tell you what happened after.

The Way I See It

I've always had a penchant for inspirational, motivational and thought provoking musings. My dear wife brought to my attention that Starbucks has them printed on their cups hidden under their insulated cupholder thingy. Starbucks also has some of them online. Now while some of them qualify as brain-farts more than as wisdom, there are some that stand out. A recent one that had me nodding is:

Recipe for happiness: an insatiable curiosity, a joy of discovery, quick to forgive, hold no grudges, love without condition, stay loyal to the death, see the best and ignore the rest – wow, we can learn a lot from man’s best friend! (#89, Nick Bollettieri, Tennis Coach)

When Dads Need to Grow Up...

There is a degree of tyranny inherent in being a father. Or else the kids would have constant pillow fights on the sofa and ice cream sundaes for most meals. Imagine total kid anarchy. But in a happy family, that tyranny has to be a benevolent tyranny. A rule by tough love and encouragement, not a selfish tyranny. Not a rule by intimidation, fear, oppression or degradation. In the end it makes the difference between becoming a respected Dad or a despised Dad.

Recently my dear wife was talking with her nut-case Mom on the phone and had to correct her about something. Now my dear wife isn't known for sparing the hammer when driving a point, even with a bent nail like her Mom. But this didn't seem like such a big deal. But her nut-case Mom likes to take things personally and do stupid things because of it. The next day, my dear wife got a call on her cell phone from her Dad. He vented with all the diplomatic tact of a foul mouthed 8 year old having a temper tantrum. I give him credit for 8 only because a 4 year old doesn't know so many bad words. He called my wife to chew her out for upsetting her Mom so much, for aggravating her health problems and went on to say a lot of stuff that any parent would regret saying. I got all of this second hand, because I was the next phone call my wife made. She was understandably upset from what I can only describe as a verbally abusive rant. If her Dad meant to communicate anything other than abuse and degredation, he sure botched it up bigtime. Unforgivable ... Grandpa needs to grow up.

Scorched earth diplomacy has no place in a family setting...

Now I know family living can be tumultuous. Remember, I have 6 brothers and sisters. Here with my wife and family I've had to step in occasionally when my dear wife becomes overly agitated because the kids are driving her nuts. God grant us the strength to be better parents than ours...