Tallulah’s Tail – er, Tale

Jack gets inside the head of foster-cat Tallulah -

Tallulah (for that had immediately become her name) arrived at the bookstore with her three kittens from the shelter for distressed pets. Hmmm, she thought as she spied the other animals – Zora the lab, Bert the terrier, Valkittie the elderly cat and Owen and Bob the black and white young cats. But a door closed and she settled down to motherly duties. Every morning the door would open and the humans brought her fresh food and water; every day passed with kitten feeding and cleaning. Eventually the kittens left one by one and she didn’t mind one bit – they had begun to steal her food before she could get to it.

After the last kitten left the humans began leaving her door open from time to time and she could explore the rest of the house. My goodness – so many books in the place!

Time to position herself in the hierarchy of animals. Flipping her long-haired tail like a feather boa, she set out. Valkittie proved impossible to dislodge from her overall managerial position but the other cats adjusted appropriately, which left the dogs. It was just about then that she felt a familiar urge. Bob and Owen seemed like nice boys – but strangely uninterested in her allure. Now Bert, the terrier – he’s a real man. Could he be the one?

Alas, no. It seems cross-breeding won’t work.

The cat-flap? Of course! A world of furry men await!

That’s how she met the muscular black tom from the gym next door, who worked out and thus could leap the yard fence in a single bound – ah, bliss. He said he’d stick by her and show her a good time. But, no – just like the other one, once she’d given her all, he doesn’t come round any more.

Then one of the humans put her in the box she’d arrived in all those weeks before and she went for a trip. Oh, so sleepy – then awake and back in the box again. Such a palaver and just a bit stiff and sore. And somehow… lighter.

Here I sit and wait!

So, here she sits and waits to see what will happen next. Maybe somewhere out there is someone with room in his/her heart and home for a beautiful young Tallulah who doesn’t get those urges any more, but just loves to get petted by any passing human. Tallulah makes an attractive desk accessory and elegantly enhances any room decor. All she wants is a human to call her own. Could it be you?

Raffle THIS!

It takes quite a bit to make me angry. Really. Jack and I have developed an even-keeled, let it flow quality of life that we enjoy.

But if you DO want to make me mad, take some decent, kind-hearted people seeking to do good in their community, pit them against a corporation in the same community sucking the economic lifeblood out of it, and throw in some condescending rudeness.

That’s pretty much guaranteed to work.

My friend Elissa (yeah, the one who shoots kittens and paraplegic puppies) is spearheading a raffle for IN HIS HANDS SMALL ANIMAL RESCUE. Elissa currently has several fosters for IHH, including Hope, a dachshund who needs a cart because her back legs are paralyzed.

Unsuspecting, good-hearted Elissa went to Walmart the other day, and–crivens jings–left her door unlocked. When she returned, her glove box had been rifled, her seats moved, and the bag containing $40 and the stubs of raffle tickets she’d sold were missing.

She called Walmart and asked to see the video tape of the cameras they have in the parking lot, and told us the manager on the phone informed her that they didn’t want their customers alarmed with rumors of parking lot thefts, and why hadn’t she locked her car, rather than invite this type of crime?

So customer-minded. One can see clearly how much Walmart cares. They don’t want to upset anyone. Except the lady on the phone whose car was burgled.

The bag was turned in to the front desk of Walmart, sans money. The money has been made up by local people who hate that this happened–and who don’t plan on shopping at the Norton, VA Walmart any more. The security tape has been appropriated by the police, who are investigating the theft.

And the raffle is going forward. This is Buddy, our cleaning lady Heather’s dog. Buddy is from IHH, and Elissa found him for Heather. He’s really quite something, as you can see.

If you’re not in the area but would like to participate in the raffle, send a $5 check per ticket and the name and contact details for the person you want the ticket for. The iPad will be raffled once 450 tickets are sold. I think they were at 220 when the theft occurred. You can send raffle purchases here to the bookstore, and we’ll hold your half of the stub here. We’ll notify everyone of the winner by blog, and Hope will get her cart. And, hopefully, Walmart will get a clue.

The address is Tales of the Lonesome Pine Used Books, 404 Clinton Ave E, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219. Thanks, y’all.