[Sometimes all that is needed to reach a street kid's feeling-forgotten heart is a story... This one's for you, Marco.]
Once upon a time there was a little Kitty who lived in a home all alone. Well, not totally alone. Technically this kitten lived with a family… but not really.
Dad left early for work and came back late--always too tired to pet Kitty. Mom was always out and about--buying new clothes, new pots and new pans (that she never cooked in), and taking Kid here and there. When Kid was much smaller, he used to sing and play with Kitty, but now that he was older he always had school and sports and special playdates with friends. The only way Kitty knew that his family had remembered him at all was the one bowl of meow-chow that Mom left for him every morning.
“Here you go, Kitty,” she would say without even a glance before rushing out the door. “We’ll be home soon!”
But soon was never soon, and even though his family thought they were feeding him, they never realized they were actually starving him. You see, what this family didn’t know was that this Kitty was a special Kitty. A Kitty that didn’t feed on normal food like you and I do. This Kitty was fed by song.
And so, day after day that Kitty’s family would leave him all alone, he began to get teenier and tinier, slimmer and thinner… and no matter how much he meowed for someone to sing, his family never even noticed.
Until one day when Kitty decided to go looking for the food that he needed. And so, he left his bowl full of meow-chow and jumped out the window, in search of what would finally fill him: a song.
Little did Kitty know, not all songs are good songs. But Kitty was hungry, and so he ate whatever he could find. And what he found was not good, no not good at all.
In the Alley where the Big Cats lived, Kitty heard a song. A loud song. A mean song. A gross song. I don’t need to tell you all that was sung, but I can tell you this: Kitty ate… and ate… and ate… But no matter how much he fed, the songs that he heard only made him hungrier… and angrier… and bigger… and fatter.
In fact, Kitty grew so big and fat from the not-good songs that never filled him that he became the size of a building! Which wouldn’t be so scary if he weren’t so hungry and angry all the time. But he was, and so, the people were afraid of him.
“The Giant Cat is going to eat us all!” the crowds would cry. “Run away!”
But what the people didn’t realize was that Giant Cat was just Little Kitty. They were right--he was hungry--but not for people. He just needed a new song. A good one.
Thankfully, Kid caught wave of the terrified talk of the town, and he sadly started to think about all the good times he used to have with his own missing Little Kitty… how they would play and sing…
And suddenly Kid remembered, Singing! Whenever Kid used to sing to his own Little Kitty, he would always start to purr. Maybe just maybe singing would help Giant Cat, too...
And so, Kid decided to walk towards the Cat that everyone was running away from. Kid latched hold of Cat’s violently swishing tale and began to climb, all the while singing:
As Kid sang and climbed further and further towards Kitty’s listening ear, the louder Kitty began to…
Purr…. Purrr… Purrrrrrrr… PURRRRRRRR!
And as he did, Giant Cat started to get smaller… and smaller... and smaller… All the while getting fuller… and fuller… and fuller…
Until, Little Kitty was back in Kid’s hands. Purring and sleeping..
“Little Kitty!” Kid realized. “It’s you!”
“I am so sorry for leaving you alone, Little Kitty,” Kid hugged his purring kitten. “Let’s go home.”
And so, Kid carried sleeping Kitty all the way home. And every night before bed everyone sang Kitty’s song. And Kitty was happy… and full.
Little Kitty
Once upon a time there was a little Kitty who lived in a home all alone. Well, not totally alone. Technically this kitten lived with a family… but not really.
Dad left early for work and came back late--always too tired to pet Kitty. Mom was always out and about--buying new clothes, new pots and new pans (that she never cooked in), and taking Kid here and there. When Kid was much smaller, he used to sing and play with Kitty, but now that he was older he always had school and sports and special playdates with friends. The only way Kitty knew that his family had remembered him at all was the one bowl of meow-chow that Mom left for him every morning.
“Here you go, Kitty,” she would say without even a glance before rushing out the door. “We’ll be home soon!”
But soon was never soon, and even though his family thought they were feeding him, they never realized they were actually starving him. You see, what this family didn’t know was that this Kitty was a special Kitty. A Kitty that didn’t feed on normal food like you and I do. This Kitty was fed by song.
And so, day after day that Kitty’s family would leave him all alone, he began to get teenier and tinier, slimmer and thinner… and no matter how much he meowed for someone to sing, his family never even noticed.
Until one day when Kitty decided to go looking for the food that he needed. And so, he left his bowl full of meow-chow and jumped out the window, in search of what would finally fill him: a song.
Little did Kitty know, not all songs are good songs. But Kitty was hungry, and so he ate whatever he could find. And what he found was not good, no not good at all.
In the Alley where the Big Cats lived, Kitty heard a song. A loud song. A mean song. A gross song. I don’t need to tell you all that was sung, but I can tell you this: Kitty ate… and ate… and ate… But no matter how much he fed, the songs that he heard only made him hungrier… and angrier… and bigger… and fatter.
In fact, Kitty grew so big and fat from the not-good songs that never filled him that he became the size of a building! Which wouldn’t be so scary if he weren’t so hungry and angry all the time. But he was, and so, the people were afraid of him.
“The Giant Cat is going to eat us all!” the crowds would cry. “Run away!”
But what the people didn’t realize was that Giant Cat was just Little Kitty. They were right--he was hungry--but not for people. He just needed a new song. A good one.
Thankfully, Kid caught wave of the terrified talk of the town, and he sadly started to think about all the good times he used to have with his own missing Little Kitty… how they would play and sing…
And suddenly Kid remembered, Singing! Whenever Kid used to sing to his own Little Kitty, he would always start to purr. Maybe just maybe singing would help Giant Cat, too...
And so, Kid decided to walk towards the Cat that everyone was running away from. Kid latched hold of Cat’s violently swishing tale and began to climb, all the while singing:
Pretty Pretty Kitty,
Oh so small,
Pretty Pretty Kitty,
May you fall,
In with love and out of fear,
As your family brings you near.
It’s time to hear:
Come home. Come home. Come home.
As Kid sang and climbed further and further towards Kitty’s listening ear, the louder Kitty began to…
Purr…. Purrr… Purrrrrrrr… PURRRRRRRR!
And as he did, Giant Cat started to get smaller… and smaller... and smaller… All the while getting fuller… and fuller… and fuller…
Until, Little Kitty was back in Kid’s hands. Purring and sleeping..
“Little Kitty!” Kid realized. “It’s you!”
“I am so sorry for leaving you alone, Little Kitty,” Kid hugged his purring kitten. “Let’s go home.”
And so, Kid carried sleeping Kitty all the way home. And every night before bed everyone sang Kitty’s song. And Kitty was happy… and full.
The End.
*This Kid/family is NOT supposed to represent Jesus by the way. Since I am constantly doing metaphors, I want to be clear: God has never EVER neglected or forgotten us. Ever. EVER. Got it? ;)
ReplyDelete