Roses and Innocence

It has a beautiful sound to it, don’t you think?

But here. In this house. The two do not co-exist.

If there are roses in the house, they are fair game for anything but a show of innocence. Call it more like a show of who can be the biggest terror for the day without getting caught. So, when Dad carries the roses into the house, I carry my furry little body out of the house - totally outside or in the screened in porch. And if I'm in the screened in porch, you can bet I make sure I am visible and that my paws are always in plain sight.

Sounds a little paranoid to you doesn’t it?

Trust me – paranoia is not the problem. Here is the reality of the situation. Follow me closely….

This is Tessa. Pretty cute, is she not?!?

Tessa was rescued from the neighborhood teenage terrors – some delinquent high school girls. They were throwing fire crackers at little Tessa shortly after the fourth of July, 2008. They threw them at her until she went and hid in a drain pipe. Meanwhile this is witnessed by Grammie, who calls “her” and tells her what’s happening. “She” runs over there to see the girls walking back down the street without the cat/kitten. Grammie last saw it hobbling down the street. But that was before it went into the drainpipe. The one right by the busy road.

“She” goes down there to try and find said cat/kitten or whatever the heck it is. "Kitty, kitty" is called several times and out pops a small orange furball from the drain pipe. And it’s running. Straight to her, but hobbling.

Fast forward when Grammie gets the flashlight and they find the small orange one has only three legs. Oh the horror. But breathe, go ahead…..the cat/kitten was born that way. There is no open wound, only some firecracker debris on her fur. She appears unharmed.

Three legs comes home with “her”. Dad is less than pleased. Until he finds out the cat/kitten is orange and white (his very favorite color kitty) AND she only has three legs. No problems then. None at all.

Orange kitty Tessa, never gets much bigger, no doubt testimonal proof to her tough beginnings. She is young and of course, everyone expects little ones to get into stuff. They don’t know better. Uh, yeah sure. She’s going to be TWO in a couple of months. Don’t think for one moment, she doesn’t know better. She is VERY smart – the following are things she knows for sure, without a doubt these are truths:

1. Dad adores little Tessa
2. Cute little kitties with only three legs are not supposed to be able to get up on tables and other high places (see pictures below - look closely)
3. Three legs means you won’t scold me
4. Tessa is the last one to be suspect when there is terror or trouble

So when the roses get pulled out of the vase or the petals have been plucked from the stem who do you think is really innocent?!?

Yes, dang the luck, I was a second too soon or a second too late to catch the actual chop licking, but you can see her little tongue, do you not??

Those are the roses.

That orange fluffball is the not-so-innocent one.

Need I say more?!?