The Tale of a Cat, a Car and Veggies

Saturday night we were all set to go out for a much anticipated date night. It had been a while and this was actually to be our anniversary date. {Being in a new area babysitters and swaps can be hard to come by}. Beanie was in bed and B was just leaving to go get the babysitter. As B was driving down our long driveway he felt a bump under the rear tire. Not good. He had hit our neighbors cat. So sad. The poor thing was alive for about 10-15 seconds and then she was gone. Of course he went next door right away but our neighbors weren’t home. We tried the other neighbor because we knew they were friends…no luck. Phone calls. Nothing.

We decided it would be best to stay home for the evening and wait for our neighbors to come home as well. We didn’t want to be gone if they came home looking for a cat that wasn’t to be found. In addition to being sad about killing a cat, we were also worried about killing the good relationship we had with our new neighbors. We were going to be here a while and so far they were the neighbors we talked to and interacted with most. They gave us free reign over their back yard swing which Beanie took advantage of often, and were just kind people in general.

Bracken told them later that night. It went OK. The wife was sad, as expected. It was an accident, they understood. I was still worried about seeing them the next few days, even weeks.

Then yesterday as Beanie and I were outside I heard our neighbor call to us. We walked over and she asked us if we like tomatoes and peppers. I said I love tomatoes and peppers. They had too much from their garden and wanted to know if we’d like some. I said yes. I then asked how she was doing…. Well…you know… was all she said. Obviously still sad. She then asked if Beanie had been outside when it happened, I said no. She was relieved. She said that’s the first thing her husband asked….they had hoped she hadn’t witnessed it.

She brought us a basket of veggies and I felt so grateful for her gesture of goodwill. I knew things were going to be just fine and all was forgiven. I think it takes a large measure of goodness and love to show concern for others in your time of grief. She made sure Beanie wasn’t there and then brought us some vegetables to help us feel at ease. In a world where road rage can turn deadly and holding grudges is viewed as being strong, it was wonderful to be on the receiving end of such easy forgiveness and kindness.