Why people suck.

We have this really cool cat. Sunshine, the orange tabby(?) who crusies out doors. She used to be indoors, but one day she decided that she wanted out. 7 years later, she owns our block. She basically never leaves the loop, always in our driveway, or roaming to some of the neighbors digs for some free chow. Sunshine even would start out going on walks w/ me and the Champy, along with Sadie the dog. She always got distracted before too long by a leaf or lizard or a fart in the breeze. In the mornings, and when I arrive home at night from job2, she will be at the front door, asking for some (more) food. She has a dish and water bowl at our house, and a few of the neighbors, as well. Sunshine wrestles w/ Sadie the dog, and will atagonize Lucy, the pygmi pig. She always gets just 'tough' enough with Sadie, and never with Champy or any other little ones, no matter what extremity they may pull on.

Sunshine has her own little world. She seems smart enough to be able to lie in our front gutter, and when you drive up, will not move; until the last minute, walking ever so slowly out of harms way. She also loves to sleep on top of my recently washed and waxed truck. Leaving many wonderful paw prints and hair for the winds and rain to wash off. Many gifts of her hunts are left in the yard. She leaves just enough food in her dish to attract the pigeons, and when the mood strikes her, the hunt is on. Needless to say the rat problem of out doors, is nil. Mice know better than to hang around. Lizards; arent too bright.

So I am on duty last night. Fridays are always busy, and a semi-full moon brings out the lunatics, (yours truly included) so a busy entertaining day was had. I fell alsleep for my turn at 4 hours around 1100PM (thats 2300 for you miltary folks keeping track; inside joke, sorry)

At 125AM Lady C calls, and is hysterical; almost.

Some fucker shot Sunshine w/ a BB gun and entered through her neck and is lodged near her lungs and heart. A pneumo-thorax injury the vet tells me. A thousand dollars deposit asked for and gotten to see if she can survive the night and into today. A crying, grief filled daughter. A complete and total breakdown of my faith in mankind (or youthkind) on my part. No one on our block would do something this horrid. No one. And we exsist on a Loop. No reason to go in our out, unless you are going home, or visiting. No one delivers after 900PM, and Maile saw her at the door at 9-930, she heard some noise around 10, and the desperate cries from Sunshine at 1030. Lady C came home from her job, to rush her to the only 24 hour vet open.

Some skater-punk types were in the area the night before Lady C tells me. Sunshine crusies out in the street gutter. Related?

I'll be finding out.

I guarantee it.

The cutest thing about all of it was Maile writing on the calendar that sits fronting the computer -

"Sunshine will get better"

In that little teen girl stylee of handwriting, you know all young, believing, and full of innocence?

Honey P. Sunshine - say a prayer for your kin, OK?

'Cause mankind is fucked.

Aloha.