The Chronicles of NTU Cats - Part I

The university was really the place that started it all - my love for cats. It was where I met Buffy and Tuxie, Faye, Jim, Baby and Marlboro-chan, Maggie, Ka and Sam. Last night, I somehow remembered the story of a little kitten, whose colour I could no longer recall, one whom I had seen just once and never again.

It was a rainy evening and I was in the school library when I heard this incessant mewing coming from the outside. The short, sharp bursts of cries were evidently that of a kitten and worse, were cries that could only come from a kitten in distress. I moved near the window to try to catch a glimpse of the kitten, but all I could see were bushes and a covered drain. I knew the kitten was somewhere directly below but exactly where I could not make out. Though I had a paper coming up, I told myself that I had to find out what was happening. Dashing down to the bushes where the calls were emanating, I was appalled to find fellow students casually lounging on the canteen chairs just next to the bushes, relaxing and chattering after their dinner, apathetically oblivious to the loud, desperate mews that even I could hear from the upper floor on such a noisy rainy day.

Ignoring the swelling anger, I scanned the bushes for signs of a kitten but there was nothing. The rain continued to fall hard and I could hear the kitten's calls resonating above the rapid gushes of water in the drain. Then it hit me, the kitten was in the drain.

I lifted one of those heavy industrial steel plate covers and peered inside anxiously. I could see nothing for there was not enough light. I hurried further down the drain, lifted another length and looked in again. This time, I saw the silhouette of a kitten clutching onto the sides of the drain with its front paws, tiptoeing on its toes, trying to get away from the torrents sweeping past its feet. Though the drain was just about knee deep, it was sufficient to put the life of a young, drenched kitten in peril. Without second thoughts, I stepped into the drain only to realise that I should have taken off my shoes and socks before getting in.

I called out to the little kitten and beckoned it to come towards me but as expected, I only suceeded in frightening it away. Clutching onto the walls of the drain, the poor baby inched further and further away, knowing that one slip would mean getting carried away by the gushing water. I hoisted myself up, ran past the kitten, lifted up yet another plate, attempted to get hold of the baby from the other direction and again, yielded nothing but a petrified kitten running for its dear life.

All this while, the crowd in the canteen either paid absolutely no attention or simply looked on at this mad, and wet, person dashing in the rain, lifting drain covers, splashing into the water, getting out of the drain and repeating it all over again. Just as I was on the verge of giving up, on the petrified kitten and the indifferent audience, someone finally came over to help. He suggested that we get in at opposing ends of the drain with the kitten between us and he would remove the covers one by one while moving towards me, hence chasing the kitten in my direction. I agreed immediately. Once the kitten was within reach, I made a mad scoop for it and then, the drama was all over in half a minute. I put the kitten down amongst the bushes and it sped off, having forgotten to say thank you.

As I got out to wring out my socks, I thanked the kind stranger for the both of us and he soon left, after replacing all the displaced drain covers on his own. I wondered if he had realised he had made a difference in the life of one kitten and the heart of another human being.

While I had fumed over the lack of sympathy in some people, a kind soul had appeared to lend a hand when I needed it most. Though I could not remember his name nor his face, his actions had allowed me to believe that I would be able to find friends who would not see me as some half-crazed human being just because I hold my animals in such high regards and love them so dearly.