 |
PatchWork
by Joyce Whitis |
After reading that column Stuart's Papillion, Precious guested a few weeks ago, my spider monkey, Elvis set up a real howl to put in his two cents. "The time has come," he confided, "to speak of many things, most especially the new animal control ordinance in Stephenville. What do you think about it, Ma?" (Elvis calls me Ma, picked it up from the Grandkids.)
"Don't get me started! If God had wanted animals to be confined, he would have built fences around them."
"Well that's what I thought! Still I have to stay inside a fence, a fence with a top on it part of the time!"
"That's because you swung too many times on the overhead cables taking electricity from the pole to the house and from pole to barn. Those cables aren't vines you know!"
"Yeah, I know that but there they are up above the roof top and sooooo inviting. I just had to take a swing, a big giant swing."
"Well, Elvis, that's the reason the city council had to make a decision about animals and the control of them. Animals don't always know what's good for them so humans have to set down and draw up rules so they won't hurt themselves and they won't hurt others too."
"Like what?"
"Like cats for instance. Cats can no longer run loose across the streets and back alleys. They have to stay inside the houses of their owners."
"I know cats and cats won't ever just stay inside. Cats like to roam around the neighborhood...check out everything. It is the nature of cats to roam around a little, especially at night....see how it's going over on the west side....watch the new colony of rats down by the storage buildings on Long Street.....catch a few mice huddled up in City Park under the large Pavilion. Cats get a kick out of watching everything that moves out early in the morning or late at night."
"I'm really concerned about that part that says certain animals aren't allowed in town. You just know how much I like riding into town with the window open and the wind in my hair. A zip through the Town and Country Bank Drive-in insures my good day when the teller passes out a sucker. Gee, I do love those suckers. With this new ordnance, I don't think I'm allowed to come into town!"
'Oh Elvis, we'll just motor on into town, grab a sucker and be back across the city limits before they can call the police!"
"Hey that's what really worries me. Did the city council pass an animal control ordinance that they can't enforce? Will cats still sneak out of the house and go out rat hunting in downtown Stephenville? Will dogs keep on romping on the front lawn and riding around in the back of pickup trucks without being thrown in the slammer? How about all those horses, goats, and sheep? What will become of those appointed lawn mowers?"
"Well, Elvis, I don't have the answer to any of those questions but happily we don't have to deal with that. We live in the country which was, the last time I checked, still free. Let those within the city limits worry about the consequences of animal control. Move over and let me get in a few good pats here on this cow. She knows she's loved and safe......for now."
"If you're ready for adventure, load up we're headed out the Pigeon Road and into town..............!"