It was very relaxing getting away from the house for a change. Judy and I had decided to spend five days with our grand-kids at a local campground located about 15 miles from our home in Brunswick, Georgia.

The second day we were there I ran a large steel spike through my right hand which took about twelve stitches. But worse than that was the six hours of waiting in the emergency room lobby in order to be treated.

After returning to the camp site I found that I was unable to really do much of anything with the kids. So most of the next five days I just sat by myself as everyone fished, played volley ball and played cards.

On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we deep fried two large turkeys. It was the first time in my life that I had eaten Thanksgiving Dinner outside. I must say that it was very enjoyable. At dusk we started a large fire. Everyone grabbed a lawn chair and sat around for hours talking and roasting marshmallows. About twelve a.m. everyone decided to hit the sack.

Early the next morning we were up breaking down the camp sites. I stood to the side trying to stay out of the way as my hand was still very sore and there was very little that I could do that would be helpful. As I stood there I saw a black pick up truck driving very slowly by the bathroom. I watched as the passenger threw a brown paper bag at the garbage can, missing it. As they drove away I walked over to pick up the bag. When I picked it up it was rather heavy. I opened the bag and saw a small kitten inside. “Well hello there Little Missy” I said to the small female kitten, as I lifted her out of the bag.

I look down the road to see if I could get the license tag number of the black truck but it had already left the camping area. The kitten did not look well at all. It was dirty and it looked as though it had not eaten for quite some time.

After we returned home I tried to telephone one of the three vets located in our town. But it being the Thanksgiving Holiday none were available until Monday morning.

I took the small kitten to the kitchen sink and I tried to wash it off with a clean warm wash rag. I tired to get it to eat something but it was just to weak. I kept it in my lap all that evening as I watched television. About ten o’clock I decided to go to bed. I laid the small kitten down beside my pillow. I went over and I turned out the light. Then I climbed into the bed. She pulled herself up next to my face, as tightly as she could. All the while curling herself tighter and tighter into a small ball of fur. Then she settled down and bundled up next to my ear.

I did not move a muscle as she tried to clean herself. Once in a while I would hear a faint “meow”. After she was done I carefully reached over and I ran my fingers across her little head causing her inner motor to make a purring sound. Over the next few minutes her motor became less and less frequent.

“I love you little missy.” I whispered to her as I carefully moved my finger back and forth against her ear.

At that very moment her purring stopped completely and her tinny head fell limp onto my hand. Slowly I picked her up and I carried her into my office where I laid her down in a shoe box on top of my computer desk. I turned around and saw Judy standing in the office doorway.

“Is she doing ok?” She asked me.

I stuck out my hand motioning for her to please go away. That I could not speak to anyone right now. I sat in my office for more than an hour wondering how people could so cruel to such an innocent little creature.

I left “Little Missy” on my desk until the next morning. I then went out to the flower bed where our other two cats are buried and I prepared a special place for her.

I am not sure what the feeling is that comes over me when something is unloved and discarded. Maybe it’s all the years of my having been raised as an orphan. Maybe it is all the terrible things that I too suffered as a young boy at the hands of grown up adult people. Years of going hungry, being kicked, hit and then thrown away. I really do not know. Maybe I will never know.

I do know this for sure. Every living thing on this earth should be cared for. No human being or animal should ever leave the face of this earth without having been given a chance to served it’s useful purpose. I hope that when “Little Missy” left this earth last Friday night that the last thing that she will remember was the love shown to her by something known as a human being.

Roger Dean Kiser trampolineone@earthlink.net