Saturday, Apr. 21, 2007 - 10:39 a.m.
Jinky at the Gates of April Paradise
*****************************
I am creaky from a dayof
hiking in the Niagara Gorge,
we found miniature ferns on the cliffs
and saw that there is still ice in the river
the deep bush spring flowers
were just opening
we lit a fire to keep warm
just before the sun disappeared
over the horizon
and drew murals on the cliffs
with flaming sticks
saluted some friends
we saw rock climbing
came home in the dark
checked my emails
and phone messages,,
...no Jinky here...
but as its such fine weather,
i don't expect him
to hang around the house..
one phone message-
"Yo man, I think I found your cat..
hes's here at. Tim Hortons,
he sure is friendly"
CLICK
I had no idea
who was calling
or when they called.
midnight on aFriday,
but i raced over there in the dark
hoping to find my little red cat
enjoying a beef donut
a tuna fritter,
something anything
I approached the Tims
a from the dark highway
but didn't see any cats,
red or otherwise
in the light of the place
-- just one slow motion
late shift staff guy
sweeping the doorway.
and no, he had not noticed anything..
he looked like the kind of guy
who never notices anything.
at the best of times
including oncoming traffic
So I sort of gestured
for the night manager
and she said
that there had been some kids
and they had a cat
earlier but she
shooshed them out with it
as no cats are allowed
in Tim Hortons..
but she pointed out
one of the kids was Ben-
and I knew Ben-
everybody knows Ben-
he spends more time
hanging out in Tims
then even the staff,,
he spends an extraordinary
amount of time at Tims..
hours every day,
and thats every day..
raIn or shine,
whatever-
Ben is there at Tims
chillin' keeping it real
doing that thing, hey ya!
and so I walked the Tim Hortons parking lot
hoping that the kids would show up
and i could quizz them about Jinkys whereabouts-
had they taken him home and fed him Pizza ?
.. then a rusty red car spins into the parking lot-
one of those joyful
full of young people sorts of cars=
always in some sort of mock danger
mock dangerous good natured people
none of them had anything special to do..
and when they saw me
they slammed on the brakes
and opened the car door,,
a girl of about 15 stood up
cradeling Jinky in her arms..
she looked a little bit stoned
and or drunk
but was very blissful and maternal..
downright angelic
as she handed him over..
he was calm and purring,
he had been very well treated ..
Seems that her
and her boyfriend found Jinky
running around the parking lot
and sort of befriended him..
he followed them inside
and the manager asked them to leave
or take the cat outside,,
they put him outside
and went inside ,
but Jinky stared at them lovingly
through the window,
so they took their coffees outside,.
had a smoke and played with him
on the sidewalk
..
April nights are cold
so they went into the car
to finish their coffee
and Jinky
jumped in the car with them..
they all just sat there
talking for about a half an hour
..in the dark parked car -
listening to the radio
and watching the other cars
full of bored friends
cruise by on the highway
By this time
Jinky had fallen asleep
in the backseat
and started to snore a little.
This was apparently
very funny to the young couple
in the front seat.
I got the impression that they had begun
to make out in the front seat
as Jinky gently snored in the back seat.
At some point in the make out session
their friends passing by recognised their car
in the Timmies parking lot
and drove up alongside,
I imagine it went something like this:
" Hey man. whats happening?"
--you know, just chillin',, ah and we found this cat..
what cat?
-- this cat'' ".... reaching into the back seat and grabbing up a sleepy eyed Jinky and hoisting him aloft for all the friends to see..
" hey I know whos cat that is,
, he runs away like every day
want me to phone the guy?
whats the number on the cats necklace.."
that would explain
the well meaning but vague
message on my answering machine..
from inarticulate youth
with good hearts
anyway the kids pass Jinky around
like a bottle of water on a hot day..
he loves the attention
and he brings out their very best
guardian angel sentiments,
that is:
be kind,
be cool
and include the smallest member
in the games..
even if it slows up the action a little,
even a lot
everybody has a contribution to make
even if its just a being a fuck up-
its still something
inclusion remains....
the highest form of social justice..
Only the greatwst of hearts
can practise this noble art
with any effect
In the rounds of pass the cat,
Jinky picks up the smell of
cigarettes and hair gell..
he is very calm and happy
when I take him from the arms of
Jr. girlfriend person
whos name I never caught.
But she had a good heart
and Jinky loved her.
.he loved them all..
I learned in casual sidewalk chit chat
that the girls Moms works
in the dispatch offices of the
plumbing & heating company
where Jinky has ended up
twice this week.
Small town,
there is not a lot
of mystery here --
so I got Jinky home by 12:30
and as soon as he got in,
he yawned
and crawled into his box of towels
and drifted off to a happy sleep.
Another big day
of love and adventure-
for everybody
