Meet Sara the cat.
Again. You've heard about her a few times. Like when we first got her. And then when I blogged about her obsession with Sam's "chou-chou" (our word for a pacifier...binky...whatever. Which is now GONE! Can you believe it? Well start believing people. Two kids. No "chou-chou's." Mind-blowing, I know. But I digress...)
Well...I have a new Sara story.
Sara is NOT normal. She doesn't run and hide from tail-pulling, tight-squeezing children. She seeks them out. And when they do torment her...she doesn't try to get away. It's baffling to me. Any other cat would hightail it under the bed or hide in the basement. But not Sara. She even prefers to sleep with the children...whirling, twirling, blanket-flinging children! Sara the cat curls right up and rides out the night. I'm telling ya, the cat is odd. It should come as no surprise. She's been like this since the day we met her. Grace scooped her out of that nasty crate at Pet-Smart, flipped her over on her back, rubbed her tummy...and Sara began to purr! We even thought she might be deaf at first. Loud noises didn't scare her...screaming children didn't phase her...she seemed oblivious to the chaos our offspring produced. But she isn't deaf. She can hear the rattle of her food bowl from a mile away. She comes when you call her name. She simply chooses to join in the fun instead of be terrified of the noise. She has even made friends with the neighborhood children...all 10+ kids that find their way to our driveway after the school bell rings at 3:30 in the afternoon. These children love her...they know her by name. And Sara, in turn, loves them. She chases after them...she allows them to pick her up and cart her around the cul-de-sac...where the children are, you will find Sara the cat. And this brings me to the point of this post. Finally.
2 weeks ago the phone rang at 2pm. It was a school day. The caller-id flashed the name of Grace's elementary school. My heart jumped into my throat. I answered the phone...
School receptionist--"Hello, this is Donna at your daughter's school. Grace is just fine. (big sigh of relief) But...do you have a cat?"
Me--"Ummmm...yes. What color?"
School receptionist--"Gray and white"
Me--sigh "Yes. Her name is Sara."
School receptionist--"Well, we have a child here in the office that says the cat is on the playground and the children are teasing her. You should probably come get her."
Me (rather embarrassed)--"Oh...right...of course...I'll call her in. Thank you."
I opened up the back door and began calling for Sara. And sure enough there she was...smack dab in the middle of the elementary school playground. She looked up, then looked around as if to say "I gotta go now guys...but I'll be back tomorrow" and then ran home. Those kids weren't "teasing" her...she was playing with them! She was having the time of her life! She was in her element! Crazy animal!
The next day I kept her in during recess. She cried and cried and tried to climb the door frame to get out! There were children to entertain!
The day after that I gave up. And I prayed that I wouldn't get another call from the school. 3:30 rolls around. The bell rings. Grace comes running up to me. "MOM!!! Guess who came to the playground today??"
Oh dear...
"Gracie had a little cat,
Little cat, little cat, Gracie had a little cat,
Its fur was white as snow (well sorta...she's part Siamese)
Everywhere that Gracie went (or any child, for that matter),
Gracie went, Gracie went,
Everywhere that Gracie went
The cat was sure to go (crazy cat)
It followed her to school one day
School one day, school one day
It followed her to school one day
Which was against the rules
It made the children laugh and play,
Laugh and play, laugh and play,
It made the children laugh and play
To see a cat at school
And so the school receptionist called her mom,
called her mom, called her mom
And so the school receptionist called her mom,
But still it lingered near"
