Apocalypse Now

I went over to the farm. Toby was there so I told him what was on my mind...

Climate crisis

    extreme weather--everywhere

    polar ice disappearing 

    oceans warming

    fires

    hurricanes

    floods 

biodiversity collapse

crop failures

breathable air

potable water supply

covid pandemic

pandemic vaccine

    unable to take it

    unable to get it

    won't take it

    anti-vax

pandemic masks

    unable

    won't

    anti-mask

death

grief 

$health care$

    for some people

    not other people

earthquakes

voting rights

gerrymandering

minority "white" rule

inequality

enormous income gaps

homelessness

voting rights

abortion law

    (where's the penis law?)

"war on terror"

jobs

    changing

        everywhere

gender phobia

"other" prejudice

hatred

john wayne syndrome 

and did I mention we're

drowning in guns 

 

Toby said, That's a hot mess! I sure am glad cats are not social. Look at all the trouble you human beings got yourselves into.

With all these woes on my mind, I began a walk to let the farm's wild edges restore my senses and reconnect me with the earth and sky. Toby came along this time and as is his habit, walked just in front of me. After a little while, he stopped which always requires me to halt so I don't step on him. 

He said, Aw, c'mon, "war on terror?"

that elevates a bunch of murderers

to dizzy heights of grandeur

so all the john waynes can mop

them up with big war solutions

for murder problems

Y'know, he went on, I'm gonna help, but I'm NOT going to become a vegetarian. Veggie kibbles--BLECH!

How are you going to help? I asked.

Well, since I live out here in farm and barn land, I'll just yowl at the neighbor cats' kittie patrols. I will never be the first to apply tooth and claw. But my hellcat will come out if they try to take over the barn, or get my food, or try to chase me up a tree again. Boy! That's what I hate the worst--tree-climbing to resolve conflict...

 

Sure beats shooting someone or getting shot, I said. Couldn't you apply some diplomacy and ramp down your hellcat?

 

No, he said, you're the one with social DNA, not me.

 

I sighed, then said, I do like your resolve never to be the first to apply tooth and claw.

 

He said, I hope your species figures that out. Maybe then people will fire up a few old steel mills and whip all those guns into plowshares so John Wayne can rest in peace.

After we walked a little more, he asked, What are you doing about this apocalyptic list you made?

Hmmm. Well, practicing kindness, and as you pointed out a couple weeks ago, saying please. Supporting voting rights and those who wage peace and give medical care. Always voting. Welcoming others. Listening. Telling our story here. I just sent volunteer services a copy of my Covid vaccine shots; I got my booster last Friday.

What are you volunteering for? he asked. 

I'm the clicker checker on my apartment residence's hallway. At night each apartment door's little clicker is set to red. In the mornings, I check each door's clicker to see if the resident inside has moved it from red to grey. That way we know if that person inside is still alive.

Yikes, he said, and the hair on his back rippled up and down a time or two before we continued walking.

 

I sighed. Somehow, what I do doesn't seem like enough to make a dent in such a heap of troubles.

Keep it simple, Toby said, I do...

I catch what I eat

I eat what I catch.

He saw me grimace and went on, Yeah, yeah, I know, you don't like the show part of my dinners but I have fun getting a meal to the table. You know the saying...

If you enjoy your work

You'll never work again.

Suddenly, he was galvanized. His attention riveted on the pasture next to us; he barely moved.

He exclaimed, Behold a Pale Horse!

 

I said, Cut it out, Toby. You know very well that's Wendy's horse Austin out there grazing.

 

 

Lewis Carroll was right, we're all mad here.

*   

 From the Arts Desk:

 

Sonja began to draw recently! She shared some photos of her renderings...

 

Dimetrios

Elijah.

Shuntia.

 

 Thank you, Sonja, for sharing your drawings.

*

And from Tucson, Paula has sent us the August desert color renderings she painted. Take note, there were bobcat kittens!

 

 *

 From the Sports Desk we have Elijah...

 

And Kingston...

Please

Toby, my tomcat friend,

can you think of a way

that we could get

the one in three USA

humans holding out to

go get vaxxed for Covid?

He sat next to me 

on the back porch at the farm.

He was quiet for a minute

then answered with a question

Did you ask them? 

Hmmm. That's a

good question.

I don't know

I answered.

Do you mean like this: 

Please, would you get the vaccine?

Yeah, he said.

Well, I don't think I heard anyone

put it politely like that.

Do you think those on hold

would vax

if we ask?

It was his turn to answer

I don't know.

Or, he said, you could

ask like this:

Please, you USA holdouts 

go vax yourselves.

While you're at it

please cover your

your mouths

and your snouts

with a mask.

Hmm, I said, that's

please with a

dose of harsh.

Many already have 

their backs up.

Toby stood up and

his back rose into 

a full arch,

the hair of his tail

and along his spine

stood on end.

Exactly! I said.

Toby's fur relaxed

as he sat back down

then said I think

those two out of the three

vaxxed humans could

just stuff the third

unvaxxed one into a crate

and drive them to the vet...

I interrupted

Oh no! not the vet

they'll want

ivermectin! 

(He didn't know

about the large animal

wormer some of the humans

bought up and took.

Maybe they wanted to feel

safe but somewhere

along the way

they began to trust

ivermectin non-science

not

science.)

Oh, my bad, he said

What I mean is:

Go where there are 

vax shots--

just like when you 

take me to the vet--

stuff them in a crate

and drive them to Walmart

I sighed and felt very sad.

We were both quiet

with our thoughts. 

Then, I told him

It would feel sooooooo good

if those holding out all went

to a local pharmacy

and got themselves vaxxed.

We could gear up 

and free up

the schools

and movies and offices

and churches and concerts

and stores and theaters

and travel and restaurants

and empty the

ICUs

and

refrigerator truck

morgues...

...I would worry less, I added.

Maybe even feel like dancing.

He replied You didn't say please

but thanks anyway

for getting me my

rabies and distemper boosters. 

You know how I hated it.

But now I don't worry

about cat diseases. 

Helps me concentrate

on field mice.

He rolled over onto his side.

As his tail moved back and forth

he batted it with a front paw.

Sometimes, I wonder about

his maturity.

(Video by Wendy.)

*

From the Art Desk:

Today, we invite you to take a look at Tucson artist friend Phil Bellomo's Designs.