3. gale
I have always considered myself a bit of a stray cat. I prefer to roam amongst the living rather than settle down with any one group. I feel I have wisdom I’d like to share or at least represent but I am not focused on who the audience is. I leave that up to the universe, I let the people cross my path.
I had a dream the other morning I was sitting outside with my now deceased dog, Sammy, sitting on my lap. There was no context for location, only that we were in the light of the sun and I was examining his fur. That’s when the first dark haired cat caught my eye. Leaping into frame with a locked stare as its hips swung with each stride. It is a captivating and intimidating stare, the way a cat locks into its object with its eyes. I was not frightened, neither was Sammy but we also were not expecting guests. My eyes began to dart as more dark haired cats leapt and walked towards us. I held onto Sammy tighter, we were no longer alone. I awoke.
Sometime in the afternoon, I went to the internet and googled dream interpretations of dark haired cats. I’ll be clear, some were black haired but some were just dark brown. I read through articles and sifted through which parts resonated with me from what I felt upon living through the vision. I picked pieces and created a puzzle. I felt the intensity of their spiritual prowess, like the Egytpians did. And I felt their magical companionship, like the witches did.
It seemed to me that the vision was telling me, Sammy and I were no longer alone on our mission. That our prayers had been heard and we were sent a herd to finish the potion. Now, this may sound a bit odd to the average person and I suppose I am speaking at a frequency you may not be able to hear, but to me it was crystal.
Since Sammy’s bodily passing, he has taken up the role of co-conspirator from the heavens. He now has access to heights I cannot feel and souls I cannot see. Every morning, I sit outside with Sammy’s urn of ashes and I write down my dreams and visions and he delivers them to the places they need to go. But now I know, what I have been calling for is going to take 9 black cats to alchemize into gold.
I’ll bring us back down to earth with one final antidote, a story about another stray cat.
Gale. Gale is a woman I met at the community pickleball courts, we’ve played together twice now and I’ve seen her four times. Gale appears to be a housewife. She teases her hair before throwing it up for pickleball and puts make up on to play. Gale is not good at the sport but is a good sport about it. There is a 10/10 chance you will lose with Gale on your team. One time while playing together, we scored a point on the opening serve and I cheered, look we’re winning!! I worked extra hard to get us points that game to give Gale some confidence. We lost 4-9. What I love about Gale is she keeps coming back to a place where she’s out of her element. It doesn’t bother her to be the worst on the court, she understands the only way to get better is to not give up. I know that there are places where Gale fits right in and goes unnoticed but at the courts her presence is known.
I know there are places where I’m a Gale. A stray cat on a sports court.