Jerry - the Old Cat - a short story - maybe some ducks :)

This was going to be a short story

Hope you like it ...... there may be ducks involved ...... sometime ...... sorry it starts a bit sad ...

Dedicated to the memory of my Mum ...... still missing you very much ........ and Jerry (Jeraldine) our old cat who passed over on Boxing day .... hope you have a good cat life up there in the sky .......

Part 1

Jerry ------ The Old Cat
Winter was now just a distant dream on this early morning sunny spring day. The birds where singing, the bees where busy rushing from pretty flower to flower. The sun had climbed higher into the sky, sending its glowing warming rays onto the old oak bench. Where an old scraggy silver tabby and tortoiseshell cat let out a soft purr of bliss as the suns rays warmed her up. Jerry , for that was the name given to her by the human mother Grace, was 24 human years old, ( 112 in cat years), and she was always so very tired these days. No sooner had she crawled out of her old bed, (an old car blanket in a cardboard box by the kitchen door), woken her mum up to be fed, than she found a nice cosy spot to sleep. She slept for longer and longer each day. Sometimes just eating twice a day, and a quick dart out in the garden to do her business, then back to sleep. But she always woke when mum passed by and loved being stroked and tickled under the belly, sometimes she wished she could be stoked and cuddled all day, but Mum was always too busy to stay long.

And now those days have gone. Yesterday they took her Mum away in the wooden box. Seven very sad days ago, she had gone up the stairs to wake up mum for breakfast, but no matter how much she yowled, she wouldn't wake. So she jumped up on her mums bed and rubbed her chin across her face. But Mum didn't stir. Jerry paused, something was wrong, she looked hard and long at her Mum, she wasn't breathing and she was still and cold. She would never wake again. Jerry didn't know what to do, so she curled herself up against her mums face and thought long and hard, purring silently as she remembered all the good times they had together, she stayed their for many hours. In which time she took note of her self and life with her Mum, and then she started to think, What now?. She was woken by the sound of familiar footsteps along the gravel path. It was Richard, her Mums son. Richard, who she new too well. He hated cats and her in particular. Richard who wanted Mum to go off to a retirement home, who wanted to sell the old cottage. And who had suggested that 'she' should be put to the long sleep! Dear old Mum has always refused and would hear none of it! She wanted to live her days here with Jerry, and she was too old to move somewhere else with old strangers and 'Fuddy Duddy's'.

Jerry was born in an old hay barn at the Old Farm 2 miles down the muddy lane. She was the smallest and weakest of the eight kittens. She had to fight hard to get any milk, her sisters and brothers pushed her away in their struggles. She survived though. The dairy farm where she spent the first few years of her life, was a very busy hard working place. The barns and animal pens where always 'infested', as the farmer would say, with mice and rats, and that was the job of the cats. To keep down the 'pests'. It was a hard life, but Jerry somehow managed to grow into an adult, (she was still the smallest), her real Mum passed away when she was 16 months old, which made life even harder, but she had guided and protected her from other cats. She was sure she loved her more than her sisters or brothers, and she had taught her well Teaching her how to catch her food and defend herself. She never new who her farther was.

Jerry was not a pretty Cat, She was a Tough Farm Cat. In her few short years at the farm she had many a war wound. Her ears raggy and torn, her tail cut short by a misplaced cow hoof. Her coat, once so pretty and soft, now wiry and lank, missing bits in a few places through scratches, ticks and fleas. Then on a fateful day many years ago, as she was just in mid spring to catch a lovely juicy fat rat for lunch beside the rear wheel of a tractor. The farmer started the tractors engine, panicking the rat to run away deeper into the dimly lit barn. Jerry did her best to turn mid spring and twist to a new trajectory, but as she did so, the tractors engine coughed and spluttered, causing it to shunt quickly backwards.
Clunk! Jerry's head hit the tractors cab very hard and she blacked out.

That was when Fate smiled at Jerry. Grace was passing by the Barn on her way to get some fresh eggs from the farmers wife, (and have a good old gossip). She saw Jerry smack hard into tractor and rushed over to help. The Farmer drove off not knowing anything had happened, (the tractor was old and very noisy, he did not see Jerry or Grace!). Grace could see Jerry was hurt bad, and decided then and there that she would help her. So she took her home, cleaned her head wound, and found and old car blanket, which she put in a cardboard box. She gently put Jerry into the box and placed it near the fire to keep warm. Then she went into the kitchen and warmed some milk. Grace came back into the room over to the fireplace with the milk warmed up and put into a small old blue and white china dish. As she placed it down on the floor, Jerry opened her eye, mewed, and went over to the milk and lapped it up.
Jerry and Grace already new each other. Grace came to the farm regularly, more so when she became a widow. The village was miles away, so she came every day to chat and help around the farm. And would always pat and stoke the cats and farm dogs. And she had always stroked Jerry more than the other cats, (well Jerry thought so). Jerry loved it when she stroked her, especially if she used her comb or hair brush to get some nasty tangle out from her fur. And she especially liked it when she stroked under her chin or belly. So, it was indeed good fortune that day, because Jerry decided then and there that this was going to be her new home, and she would adopt Grace as her new 'Human' Mum. Grace meanwhile knew then and there that she needed company, and that she hoped Jerry would stay with her.

A few days soon turned into many years of happy times for Jerry spent with Grace at her new home in the cottage. She would go to the Farm once in a while to look around check on her family and hunt, but never stayed long. Jerry wasn't a house cat though. In fact it wasn't until she was 21 that she could no longer reliably hunt for herself, (she couldn't understand though why Grace never ate those lovely juicy mice and birds she left fer her). So Grace would share her meals with her. (She could keep those nasty green things though, but that golden buttery stuff was absolute bliss). Jerry never had any kittens of her own. She tried though, many a time! (Sometimes though the over zealous boisterous tom cats 'yowling' would wake up Grace at night, and cause an old shoe or jug of water to come their way, quickly putting the nights romance to a sudden end).

Jerry was not a wicked or evil cat. Yes, she would sometimes play with her food, but only to hone her skills. She always ate what she caught for her survival. But sometimes she would wonder. She would often think for long times, when she was not sleeping, what it would be like to be a mouse or a bird. And she got to thinking on what it might be like to be a bird and fly high into the sky. To see the ground falling away from you, to see the sights and views that being airborne would give. She also wished sometimes for more company, as when Grace was away visiting she would get lonely. She wondered if she could make friends with the birds or mice. She tried once or twice, calling out friendly that she would not hurt them, but they always flew or scurried away. Oh how she wished she could Fly.

And now, as old age and Graces passing on, Jerry new she had no home here any more. There would be no home back at the farm either so she decided that she wouldn't stay here any longer. She new her that her tired old body was getting older, her time of passing on was near, But before that happens she decided that she would go on one last adventure. So she got up off the old wooden bench, and only looking back for a quick peek, and say one final goodbye to her home and Grace, she set off out into the big wild world.


..............................................................................

Part 2 - Jerry Finds adventure - and some ducks -

Strange? Thought Jerry as she set off on her last adventure, i don't feel the slightest bit hungry. Her last meal had been a day ago, some tasty scraps left by the farmers wife. How kind of her, she thought. She was walking across the fields towards the woods when she heard a loud commotion. Clearly there was a blackbird in distress. Quick as a flash she decided to help the Blackbird, she bounded over as fast as she could. 'Wow she thought', i have never run as fast as that before, as it took her only a split second to run over 500 feet. She stopped and took stock. Over There!. She could see a mother Blackbird in severe distress, calling out and darting round crazily back and forth, with her wings spread out, she was darting in an out of a hawthorn bush. Jerry called out to her 'What is wrong, can i Help', not surprisingly the Blackbird could not hear her, as she was still running in an out the bottom of the Hawthorne bush, squawking in the most alarming way. Jerry rushed over to the bush and dived in (she didn't wonder how she got through the tight bundle of twigs and sharp thorns), and stopped short to see a nest 1 feet above the ground, then noticed a grass snake almost at the nest. The greedy thing will eat all the chicks, Jerry thought. So she quickly jumped up and grabbed the snake by its tail and pulled it away from the nest and out of the hawthorn bush. The Grass snake hissed loudly and exuded a foul smelling liquid, as its natural defence. The smell was very retched but Jerry didn't stop, She dragged it another 6 feet or so, then let go of the snakes tail. 'Now go away and leave this nest alone', she told the grass snake. The snake took one quick look at Jerry and slithered away as fast as it could, hissing as it went. The Female Blackbird, now joined by her mate ran to the nest, her mate flew to Jerry and thanked her for her help in the dire need. Jerry, feeling good for the deed, thanked him back, and said, 'I'm glad i could help you, but aren’t you afraid of me? I am a cat! I could have eaten you!'. 'Afraid, of you?, No!, Why?, 'I'm very Happy that you saved our children’s lives, but i must get back to them now and check', 'Thank you', he said flying over to the bush, 'If there is any way i can Help you back, please let me know'. 'I don't think so', said Jerry, 'It was good to help you, bye'. Jerry walked on and into the woods. Thinking it odd that she had helped the Blackbird, and that the Blackbird was not afraid of her. 'I'm a Cat after all'. 'Before now, all the Blackbirds flew off at the first sign of me, that is if they saw me coming'. Jerry put it out of her mind, as she suspected that the Blackbirds where to upset about the snake attack to react, Yes!, that must be it'. She didn't wonder why her fur never caught in the thorns though.

The trees where scattered and thin around the edge of the woods, but as Jerry walked they got closer together and sunlight was dimmed through the tree leaves. But even though she had never been for a walk through this wood before, she wasn't in the least bit concerned. Again, when she thought about it, she thought that was odd too! There are after all things that will kill a cat, and especially in and around the woods, where she could easily be ambushed. But then her ears caught another sound of a bird in distress, this time it sounded like an Owl. She set off again as quickly as she could, as you can't run in the woods without tripping over roots, banging your head on branches, or slipping in muddy pools. But again Jerry was at the place where she heard the sounds in a split second. She saw a very young Tawny owlet, who had clearly fallen out of the nest hole high above in the ancient oak tree. The owlet was making the most distressing and strange hoots, and hisses. With mother tawny Owl shrieking and tweeting as she flew up to the tree and back down again.
They hadn't noticed Jerry. So walking over slowly into a lit glade near the owls she introduced herself and asked if she could help. 'Please help my little owlet back into the safety of the nest', said the Tawny owl mother. 'I'll do what i can', said Jerry. She could climb quite well, but this tree had a very steep trunk and no lower branches for her to leap onto. What could she do, she thought. 'Please hurry', said mother owl, 'the old fox will be prowling around soon, and would eat my young little owlet for tea'. Jerry thought some more, she couldn't carry the owlet straight up, but! She had an idea, 'Yes that will work', she thought to herself. So she carefully grabbed the owlet in her mouth, walked up to a fallen branch, leaning at a low angle by an opposite tree. Climbed up it, jumped onto a higher branch. Then with a 'Here goes nothing', thought, she jumped from the end of the branch into another branch, then jumped to the ancient oak tree, putting the young owlet in the nest hole. Then as her hold was a bit shaky, she jumped back the branches and eventually to the ground again. 'Thank you, thank you', said the mother Tawny owl, 'you have saved my little owlets life', 'If ever i can repay you, please let me know'. Jerry thought for a bit, then said, 'It was my pleasure to help you in your direst need', 'and thanks for your offer, but i cant see how you could help me'. Then she paused and said, 'weren’t you frightened that i might eat your owlet? i am a Cat you know!'. Mother Owl responded, 'Frightened? Why? I could tell even before you arrived that you are not just any Cat. I knew you would help and i wasn't the least bit afraid'. 'Thank you again for your help, don't forget my offer, but i must take care of my owlet now, and make sure she doesn't fall out of the nest again, good bye'. 'Goodbye', said Jerry and walked off and out of the woods. It was getting late, so she was looking for snug place to sleep for the night. Just out of the woods, she saw an old woodcutters shed. There was a small hole in the door bottom, and with only a slight struggle she went through and found a nice box with some old potatoe sacks inside. That would make a nice cosy bed for the night. But before she nodded off, she wondered again about the birds she helped, why weren’t they afraid of her? And why could she speak to and understand them back, strange?, and why was she not hungry or thirsty? She fell asleep, dreaming of the good times she had with Grace at the cottage.

Morning came and Jerry set off again on her new adventure into the wild world. She crossed over fields and hills then came to a small river. She couldn't see a bridge, but thought there must be crossing somewhere, but with way to go? Upstream or downstream? But before she could make up her mind she could hear a swan hissing and flapping around in the most distressing of ways. She decided to help. So in the blink of an eye she was there. Just before her in the reads close to the bank, was a nest of several large swan eggs. And very close by, with the mother swan hissing and beating her wings loudly was a mink. It was after the eggs! Jerry raced into action, not even thinking for her own safety, for a mink is more than a match for any small cat. She shot off at speed yowling and hissing straight at the mink. But just before she got there the mink saw her, and must have decided that two against one was bad odds, so quickly slunk away down the
bank into the river, and was gone. 'Thank you for your help saving my precious eggs', said the mother swan, 'If there is any way i can repay you, please let me know'. 'It was my pleasure to help you Mrs swan', said Jerry, 'but i don't need any help right now, thanks'. 'But what are you doing round these wild parts? This is not the best place for a ***** cat', said Mrs swan, but before Jerry could reply, she said, 'Oh sorry about that, i can see you can well look after yourself, especially after your brave help in rescuing my eggs', 'It was just my silly addled mind thinking silly things while i was in such a state of panic'. 'No problem', said Jerry, 'and if you must know i'm old and on my last great adventure before i die'. The swan paused then said, 'what would you really like to do before you go?'Jerry said, 'i would like to fly high in the sky, free as you birds. To go where ever i wanted and see the world'. 'i wish i could help you, but i have to sit on the eggs now before they chill, thank you for your help, goodbye'. 'You have my thanks Mrs swan, it was a pleasure to help you, and my heart beats more strongly for it, goodbye'. As jerry strolled away looking for a way to cross the river, she muddled over what she had just said. 'My heart is beating more stronger', she thought, 'and i have more stamina too!', 'No that's silly! Must have been all the excitement'.

Nothing more happened for a few hours a Jerry walked downstream looking for a way to cross. Then she spied a bridge and small narrow up ahead, and soon came to it. The road was not tarred, but was thankfully dry and not too muddy. The bridge looked very old, made from a mishmash of local sandstone and flint, it was very narrow at the middle point. She was just as she was about to cross onto the bridge when she noticed a Mother Duck with at least a dozen ducklings coming over the brow of the bridge. The ducklings looked so cute, waddling all over the place, trying to keep up with mother duck, who was quacking encouragement. But Jerry's ears pricked up, she could hear something coming down a narrow road which sounded like a motor vehicle the humans drive. She turned and spied it coming down the narrow road at quite a speed. 'What about the ducklings' she thought, 'they would never get across the bridge before the motor vehicle got here', 'they would be killed'. She looked again at the ducklings, could she get them across in time. She tried to catch the attention of the mother duck, but she was oblivious to anything, engrossed as she was trying to get her ducklings safely across the bridge to the river below. There was not enough time to help the ducklings, so she would have to stop the human driving the motor vehicle. With seconds to spare, she ran over to the motor vehicle, jumped onto the bonnet while it was still moving, she gripped hard the windscreen wiper, whilst trying to get the attention of the driver. It worked, the human stopped the motor with a screech of brakes, dust, stones and loud extreme expletives! Jerry, tried to speak to the human but by the reaction, shouting, and some weird fist expressions the human was giving, thought better of it. Jumped down and went to check up on the Ducks. He reached them just as they where all getting into the river. Mrs duck stared at Jerry, and said, 'Hello, can i help you!'. 'Are you all safe', Jerry said to Mrs duck. 'Yes, Why?', she replied, 'is there a problem?'. 'Um ..... No', said Jerry, 'Just checking that you all got to the river'. 'Yes', she said, ' ...... and thank you for asking'. Jerry realised that the ducks where oblivious to what had just happened, and said 'Have a nice day', before walking on and crossing the river. He just got over the bridge, before an irate human driving the motor 'tooted' and made more of those hand expressions those humans do, as he raced the motor down the road.
The day was turning into night, so Jerry sought somewhere to sleep. Just before it was too dark, he found an old ruined cottage. The roof was gone and most of the walls where down, but the chimney was still upright. There a fireplace had collected dry beech leaves, in which Jerry made a nice nest bed to lay in and sleep. And she dreamed sweet dreams of life with Grace back at the cottage.

Part 3 Jerry’s questions are answered.

Coming soon (ish)

 

So good to see you around again my friend. Can't wait to read of what happens.

 

Hello farmerbarny,
You have quite the talent for expression. Your words transform moments, which can be vividly seen and felt. I an eager for part 2 as well. & I am sorry for your loss.

 

Hi Pepsishot, Wolfeyesone. Thanks for your nice comments. Somehow managed to get a time slot to put this up. Been writing it on and off when i had a few minutes to spare. But part 3 will take longer ..... haven't written all of it yet

We've had a cold spell here, luckily the snow was rained off (typical). But the frosts and biting cold winds make working not a pleasure

 

farmerbarny - I am greatly enjoying your story. I've cried and laughed....you are a talented storyteller! I can't wait for the next part.

 

The gift of a true writer, is when you can make the reader feel like a part of the story. You have that gift. Love the story!
Can not wait until part 3 is ready.

 

Thank you, Barny. I have only just come across this ... what a lovely tale. Sad but warming. Look forward to the next part.