A mom for Onyx

“Are you sure this is the right apartment building?” “Yes, patience. She is perfect. She will make a great mom for BC1151.” BC4 and BC24 hide behind the yellow fire hydrant waiting for their target to appear. “There she is, follow her. Then I will make my final decision.”

I live in the city and walk the ten blocks to work every morning. Rain or shine. Snow or sun. Hot or cold. Every day flows into the next and it all begins to blur into one uneventful existence. Until an unseasonably warm, December morning, when my life was interrupted by a series of weird events leading up to me becoming a mom again.

My morning trek started off as mundane as usual.

Backpack, check.

Wallet, check.

Phone, check.

Keys, check.

Down three flights of stairs and onto the sidewalk, check.

Two stray black cats by the fire hydrant – weird but okay.  Aww now I miss my cat, Socks. We had eighteen years together, she was my baby. I smile at the memory of her black and white face and her demanding meow when she was hungry and supper was late.   

I walk by the two cats, not giving them a second thought as I covered the first block of my journey to work, humming to the song in my head. At the crosswalk, I do a double take; there was a black cat by the next fire hydrant. Weird. Déjà vu. I cross the street and carry on to the next block. Stopping for my “usual” – tall coffee with two creamers and a handful of ice cubes, I continue on my trek towards the bakery. Two raspberry Danishes and a black cat. 

Street corner. Black cat.

Stop light. Black cat.

Pedestrian crossing. Black cat.  This was getting out of control. What was in my coffee? Was I hallucinating? Did I have a fever? Shaking my head, I keep walking. Surely it was just my imagination. Seven black cats in a six block radius just did not happen. 

Taking a big swig of my coffee, I decide I was still sleepy and seeing things. There! That explained it. I need caffeine and the fresh morning air. I pick up my pace into a faster walk and hit the pavement. Stopping at the next intersection, I bounce on my heels, waiting for the light to change. No cats. See. Just my imagination. 

Don’t walk. Don’t walk. Don’t walk. Watching the light flash off and on, I take off when the orange light turns white. Walk. Walk. Walk. I trip on the curb and land on my knees. I watch as my breakfast flies through the air and lands next to, of course, a black cat. Seriously? I scream and put my head in my hands. 

“Ma’am, are you okay?” I hear from above. I look up to see a police officer staring down at me holding out a hand. I move my hands down and slowly look up.

“I’m fine. It has just been a very strange morning.” I take his hand and convince my legs to cooperate as I stand.  “Thanks.” I say, dusting off my clothes. “I’m good, really.” I smile and start walking towards my destination. Four blocks to go – I can do this!  Coffee-less and Danish-less I sigh, deciding to stop at the market at the end of the block to refuel. I quickly decide on chocolate milk, BBQ potato chips and peanut butter cookies – the breakfast of champions!  Paying for my purchases, I watch in disbelief as a black cat crosses in front of the store’s front door. Nine. What are the odds? Is it Friday the thirteenth? No, it’s Tuesday the fifth. Maybe I should go home and back to bed? 

Picking up my purchases, I carefully open the door and look both ways – no black cat!

I check my watch and realize I am behind schedule and need to get moving. Opening the bag, I pop a chip into my mouth and start walking. Three blocks to go. 

I wave to Joe, the hot sausage vendor, “See you at lunch!”.  “All the way, no mustard.” He replies. I smile. See.  Normal. Nothing out of the ordinary. Crossing the street, I hear it. “Meow.” Yup black cat number ten is darting behind Joe’s cart. I roll my eyes to the sky, “What in the world,” I mutter under my breathe. Is it a sign? An omen? I have never been superstitious but seriously. This is ridiculous!

I step up on the sidewalk and speed walk to the end of the block with tunnel vision. I do not want to know any more what is out there. I have six minutes to get to work and I cannot be late again. I am focused and on a mission. One block to go. Still speed walking I weave in and out between people, I know it is rude but I have had enough this morning. I just want to get to my desk and sit. My nice boring, no cats allowed, desk.

I bump into a lady with a gigantic red leather purse. When I go to apologize, I jump as brown ears and piercing blue eyes pop out of the bag and bark at me. Yup, an angry dog but not a black cat at least. I start to laugh. It is more acceptable than crying. “Sorry,” I say mid-laugh and just burst into giggles. The lady and dog stare at me as if I have lost my mind – hey, maybe I have! I twirl in a circle and turn towards my building still laughing. 

I walk to the elevator and go to close the doors, “Meow”. No, seriously, really? I turn to see a black cat sitting in the corner of the elevator staring at me. I slide down the elevator wall and just stare back. Green eyes mirroring green eyes. The doors close and the elevator rises to the third floor. Ding. The doors open but we just sit there staring at each other. I pull out my phone and call my boss from the elevator as the doors automatically close.

“I am going back home. I have had the weirdest morning.” 

“Where are you?” 

“In the elevator.”

I hear footsteps and then the elevator doors open again. My boss is staring at me much like the cat and others have this morning. Like I have lost my mind!   He disconnects the call and gazes from me to the cat and back again.

“Find a new friend?”

“This is the tenth black cat I have seen on my way to work this morning. Ten. Black. Cats.”

“Ten?” 

“Yup, ten.”

“The same cat?”

“I honestly have no idea. Maybe? Maybe not? Who knows?” I throw my hands up and the cat takes that as an invitation to crawl up into my lap and begin to purr. 

I cannot help it and the tears begin to flow. I am at my emotional stress point and this just tips the scales. I slowly stroke his, her, its back and sigh. 

“Go home and take your new friend with you. You two seem to need each other.” 

My boss pushes the elevator button and as the doors close, I whisper, “Thank you.” 

I cuddle, Onyx, yup, Onyx, to my chest and stand as the elevator makes its way back down to the ground floor. A tear slides down my cheek as I rub against her silky fur and we start our journey home. Together.

“See! I told you BC1151 and her new mom would be a perfect match.” BC4 watched as her kitten was carried away by her new mom. “Be good, my baby.” “Can we get lunch at Joe’s?” BC24 asks as BC1151 and her new mom turn the corner and are out of sight.