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 had long 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
his 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.
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. It 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.
~author unknown~
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