Please read this as this
is really a very sad story....
Everyone in the apartment
complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved
three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love.
The combination of these
things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly.
To start with, he had only
one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also
missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly
broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like
he was always turning the corner.
His tail has long since
been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and
twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the
sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs.
Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one ugly
cat!"
All the children were
warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down,
squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door
when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the
hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit.
If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around your feet in
forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing
frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If
you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt,
earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his
love with the neighbors huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was
badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush
to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's
sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle,
his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the
white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to
carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him
struggling. I must be hurting him terribly I thought. Then I felt a familiar
tugging, sucking sensation on my ear- Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and
obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he
bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye
towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the
greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only for a little
affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought
Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he
try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any
way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before
I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking
about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about
what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly.
Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books,
lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be
thankful.
He had been scarred on the
outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and
learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.
Many people want to be
richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always try
to be "Ugly".