ugly

UGLY THE CAT
author unknown

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 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. Ugly would have been a dark
gray tabby, striped type, except for the sores
covering his head, neck, and even his shoulders. 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 your
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 find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor's
dogs. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly
mauled. 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. 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, 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.