He was a scraggly little kitten when he first came into this old world. Born on our back porch, in the little attic, in the springtime over 50 years ago. He wasn't but a day or two old when he fell through a crack in the ceiling and landed on his'n little ole ugly haid. We knew it kinda "addled'm" a mite but didn't really know how much till later. About the time he was gett'n around good a big old jar lid fell on that same little ole ugly haid. He just walked in circles for awhile but did'nt seem to bother'm very much---. When he was about a month old we started notice'n that he just couldn't walk quite rite. Walked like he had stiff back legs with funny feet. Ya'll know how we used to put paper on their feet and hold'm on with rubber bands? Well that's just like he walked. He would walk towards something and sometimes would veer off on a course that took'm forever to get where he was intend'n to go.

Decided to name'm "Ole Elmer". Named'm after a man we knew that was "tetched" in the haid. He walked like this and wasn't quite rite either in his haid. Both were harmless but Elmer the ole cat was much uglier than the man named Elmer. I had the ole cat for about 2 years. He was forever gett'n lost in the yard-within 20 feet of the back porch! He finally didn't show up and we look'd and look'd for'm. Ole Elmer was gone and finally I reallized it. About 3 months later while rabbit hunt'n south of the house-in a little draw-50 yards from the house-we finally found old Elmer. The old dummy wandered off and forgot where home was. That was the end of ole Elmer, the cat.

Elmer the man lived on for years after that and not know'n he had a cat named after'm.

I share custody of a white cat of Lil Dumplins now. The "fixed" female is named "Calvin" by our younger son. He named'r that to kinda aggervate Lil Dumplin who had already named'r something else. "Cottontail" was the name she selected. We ALL told'r that was a name for a rabbit!!!! Even she now calls "our" cat--CALVIN!

Whatever name you answer to here- will Jesus Christ call it at the rapture of His church? He's coming back real soon. Now is the time to get ready to meet Him if you havent already done so. ole hoot. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), April 10, 2001

Answers

Ole Elmer reminds me of my friends' kitten which they named 'Fruitloop'. She is the runt of the litter and just not quite right. The rest of the litter have found new homes and run around like crazy, but little Fruitloop walks a few steps bowl-legged like Ole Elmer and lays down to sleep. Too much exercise for her, I guess. She brings comfort and joy because she loves to cuddle and is easy to please. Doesn't get into much mischief, either. Blessings and wonders come in all kinds of packeges, you just have to be open to them, I guess. Blessings to you, Hoot!

-- Epona (crystalepona2000@yahoo.com), April 11, 2001.

Thanks for telling us about ole Elmer the cat, and about Jesus too, Hoot.

Stacy Rohan in Windsor, NY

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), April 11, 2001.

I had a pup I named Oliver, after a man I knew cause the dogs back legs walke stadle legged just like the man did when he had been nippin'.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 11, 2001.

Elmer never did develop cat fur--all his life his fur was soft, just like a kitten. 'course, Hoot feeding him (under the table) the cod liver oil HE was s'posed to be taking made that kitten fur pretty!

-- ruth in s.e.Illinois (bobtravous@email.com), April 11, 2001.

Thank you for the story of Ol'Elmer the cat. We had a cat named Bootser who was not quite right, but he gave us so much love and so many laughs that we still miss him. I could telling dozens of Bootser stories about the stupid things he did! When he finally got sick, I tried for awhile to get him better, but we knew it wasn't going to help. He gave so much to us that we gave him the dignity of a painless death. Darn, now I'm missing silly Bootser all over again.

-- Ardie from WI (a6203@hotmail.com), April 12, 2001.