Cat Watch

It was a little before six and still dark when the tree came down. It took two to three seconds and at first I thought it was the trash truck with some serious brake issues. There was no great crash, no shock wave when it landed, just a few seconds of grinding and scraping and the little house across the street suddenly disappeared behind a massive, multi-limbed old pine tree. It slashed through the roof like a knife through butter, demolished the front porch, doors and windows, and avalanched itself across the yard and the width of the street. By the time I'd pulled on my Nikes and thrown on a sweatshirt, other neighbors were already there and Amanda was on the verge of hysteria.

“THERE'S A TREE IN MY HOUSE!” I heard her screaming, “WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?”

Our yardman/neighbor from down the street took a firm hold on her shoulders and gave her a thorough but not unkind shaking.

“AMANDA!” he yelled, “BREATHE! YOU'RE OK!”

She came back to herself, looking around the way you do when your world becomes suddenly imcomprehensible and you're sure you're in a grotesque nightmare.

“Oh, my God,” she moaned, “Oh, my God, what happened?”

“Where are the animals?” someone asked quietly and this, far more than the shaking, cleared her mind. Still sobbing, she began an accounting, both dogs were safely in the back yard and all but one cat was found. The yardman sat her down gently and led her through what needed to be done immediately, forcing her to concentrate and focus through the chaos. Within an hour, the city had sent an emergency crew to clear the street, the insurance company had been called, a tree service was on site and the sound of chain saws filled the air. Someone set up a circle of lawn chairs in the driveway next door, someone else arrived with coffee and doughnuts. By noon, a portable dumpster was in place and a bright blue tarp had been pulled securely over the roof. That afternoon, the vet clinic picked up the dogs for boarding and the street was clogged with friends and family coming by with offers of help, catfood and litter and plates of barbeque.

The entire block was on Cat Watch for the one still missing feline and the collective relief was intense when, 4 days later, he strolled casually through the front door, hungry and complaining but completely unharmed.

Happy Easter, one and all.