It was mid October and unusually warm for that time of year, but it was always my favorite time.  I found such great beauty in the fall and all the different smells October brings with it.  It was also this time of year that I found my cat or should I say he found me.  I live in a small white courage at the end of a dead end street named Portland Avenue.  I work inside my home and spend most of my time behind the computer because of a crippling bone disease.  One night working late I heard a persistent cry, like that of a baby.  Finally I got up and checked around the house.  The crying came from the bushes outside the front of the house.  I knew it was a kitten and called out, “Here kitty, kitty”.  Out he came.  He could have only been a few weeks old.  He was an orange Tabby I named him Mickey and fell in love with him at once.  I didn't know how old he was so I just made Halloween his birthday.

 Soon Mickey was going to be celebrating his tenth birthday.  Mickey was always a little on the wild side.  We have to remember he was born in the wild.  I was lucky he was still around.  I could not tame his wild streak, but then Mickey wouldn't be Mickey without it.  So many times he'd gotten into trouble, weather he was hit by a car or got into poison or making eyes at our neighbors full blood Persian cat, Amy.  He'd already had one broken leg and jaw.  I had gotten him collar after caller and he'd still lose them somewhere.  So for his birthday I picked him up another.  It was a shiny red collar and also had an identification tag.  I put it on him two weeks before his birthday and that alone was a chore.  But he put up with it because we were kindred spirits.

 In the week that followed he started to change.  I didn't notice it at first,  but when he didn't pay much attention to Amy the Persian, the love of his life I knew something was up.  I think it started happening when he came home without his new collar.  He had lost at least a dozen colars in our woods out back.  I thought he would eventually himself again, given time.  After all I'd had him for ten years now.  He actually seemed more energetic and younger acting, must have been the time of year
I thought.  I even saw him walking the clothesline rope like a circus act.  Then when I tried to pick him up, he shyed away form me.  I let him be he'd always had a mind of his own and I respected him for it.  So I just give him his room and let life go on as always.

 In the days that followed I got ready for Halloween and make decorations. I cut tombstones out of cardboard and sit them up in the front yard and decorated my home as if it was a haunted house.  I carved pumpkin and made jack-o-lanterns out of them and put candles inside.  On the night of Samhain I dressed up like a witch for the children to give out candy.  I made sure every Halloween that Mickey stayed inside and this year he had no interest in going out.  I couldn't blame him, although it was warm, there was an unusual nip in the air that chilled me to the bone.  Our country wasunder thunderstorm alerts that night.  I knew Mickey could sence it.

 Later, I settled down for the night and got into bed.  Mickey was at his usual spot at the end of the bed.  I could hear the sounds of distant thunder from the coming storm.  I always liked the sounds of thunderstorms as I drifted off to sleep.  Later I was awakened by Mickey crying.  At first it was a low cry, than became louder and louder.  I waved mine arms around for him to shut up.  I just thought he wanted out.  Finally I set up and told him to shut up.  He gave me a queer look as if to tell me something.  I said, “What is it Mickey?”  He walked up to me and out of the blue he jumped past me and scratched my arm.  I screamed and ran to the bathroom and looked into the mirror.   I couldn't believe what Mickey had done to me.  Then I heard a large crash like thunder coming from the bedroom I saw Mickey run past the bathroom door in front of me.  I went back to my bedroom to investigate what was going on.  There in my bed was the large oak from my front yard, lighting had struck it and sent it into the roof of the house.

The next day I had my brother come over and assess the damages with me.  I told him that Mickey had saved my life.  I had tried to find Mickey and take him to my brother's the night before but couldn't find him.  So me and my brother  went into the woods to look for him. I thought maybe he was scared from the thunderstorms.  We've looked and looked and called his name. Finally Glenn called me over to him saying "I've found him."  but he held me back.
 "Where is he" I asked. 
 "You don't want to see him like this" Glenn said.
 “He's dead.  He was hung on his collar on the other side of this tree trunk.  Looks like he broke his neck.  He must have died instantly.”
 "How can that be he lost his collar weeks ago?” I asked
 "That's the other thing he's been dead at lease that long, believe me."
 "You’re sure it's him"?
 "He's wearing a red collar with his name on the tag.  It’s him all right."
 I started to cry.  I had Glenn bring Mickey home and had him bury Mickey at the edge of the woods by my house so he would always be at home.

Well, times change and life goes on.  It's been two years since Mickey's death and I think he's forgiven me for making him wear those collars.  I have two new companions now.  Two  brothers who are son's of Amy, the Persian.  Can you guess who the father is?   One is named Jasper and is black as night as his mother is but, has his father's wild streak.  At least he doesn't wander far except for around the house and to see his mother and he never goes into the woods, but sometimes sit and stares into them.

It's like forbidden territory to him.  I don't think Mickey wants Jasper going into the woods.  I don't know, it's just a feeling I have. The other cat looks just like his father a range Tabby who is quite content staying inside and basking in the sunlight and just getting fat.

Every Autumn I still have the feeling that Mickey is around.  Sometimes think I see him or maybe it's a shadow but I know he's watching over us.  Every Halloween I carved a pumpkin in his memory in the shape of a cat, our Halloween Guardian.