Cat, Hero Franklin
Companion Adventurer Traveler Hero, the cat
British Royal Princess Diana was killed in an auto accident August 31, 1997. I was three
days old. I had four brothers and one sister. Thrersa named her Princess Di.
My Daddy is an itinerant, humans give him food but mostly he hunts. Mom, Aboo,
Thrersa calls her, is a tabby from Marion. When she was 16 months old her family
dumped her out by the Cedar River, Pioneer Village, she said. On her way back to
Marion, Aboo met my dad in Franklin's back yard. He is handsome, charming and strong.
He told mom never to trust humans and he showed her by example how to stay at least 50
yards from them.
Aboo said she did not think humans were so bad, they always gave her food and
sometimes let her sleep on their bed. Now that Aboo was about to deliver, her instincts
told her that the wild cavorting with handsome Sir Hero must end. She solicited lodging
at the Franklin house, was taken in for a few hours and then chased out. At Thrersa's
house, chased out again. Well Thrersa has one cat, a really old cat. Next door to Thrersa
is Sheri and Madge, they have two cats and worse yet two dogs.
Oh, oh, my the time is near, I will just deliver under Thrersa's deck. Later Thrersa
moved us all up onto the porch, Thrersa must be very rich, we had private quarters away
from Tender the old, old cat. We had blankets and toys, plenty of food and fresh water.
Father Sir Hero would stop by and look at us for a few minutes when there were no
humans around. Sometimes dad would take a few bites of the food Thrersa had left us.
I immediately liked Grandma Meow, Deb Franklin, she brought Grandpa Meow to see me.
I always ran to see her so she would know that I liked her too. When I was six weeks old
Grandma Meow took me to live in their house.
I had ear mites, Grandpa Meow put some Malathaion in my ears, that killed the mites and
irritated my ears. The vet said it was the worst case of ear mites he had ever seen and
went to squirting stinky water in my ears. I bit and clawed him, he should have know the
mites were dead and all I needed was time for my ear rash to heal up.
My instincts said I must prepare to be a father soon, so short a childhood. Another trip to
another vet, Grandma Meow said Dr. Winteroud was too expensive, maybe because I bit
him. I was glad to meet Dr. Moore, he seemed nice. But this time my rear end was sore
for a week and I did not care so much about preparing to be a father like daddy Sir Hero.
They called me Hero Junior or mostly just Hero. Grandma Meow would take me for short
walks on a leash, I kept telling her I did not like the harness, wanted longer walks and
would prefer to be free. Grandpa Meow made a trolley wire so I could run back and forth
across the full width of the front yard. Chipmunks would learn where the end of my range
and the zip by me to my back yard, I complained and complained to Grandpa Meow about
this. Soon I had a trolley wire in the back yard with a longer coil spring leash, this was
fun, but I still wanted freedom, like daddy.
One night Grandpa Meow was watching the story of Houdinni on TV. I saw Houdinni
escape from arm and leg chains, in a seaman's trunk, under water in less than one minute.
Next day Grandma Meow put me out back on the leash trolley, I did the Houdinni flip and
squirm and I was free!. After 9 Houdinni escapes, I did not have to wear a harness or be
confined by the trolleys.
Grandpa Meow was good about letting me out early in the morning. He often got up
around 4 AM, sometimes he stayed up and sometimes he went back to bed. He would
always feed me and let me out if I asked. Grandpa Meow often overslept, and I would
have to wake him up. Sometimes he would be so groggy, he would try to put me out with
out feeding me. He might go to sleep again, while I ate -- so I would have to wake him up
again to open the door for me.
Grandpa Meow and Grandma Meow have two big kids, they have two big mates and four
little children. I don't like little humans, they shriek, squeeze and yell loud.
There was much good smelling food in the house at Thanksgiving 1999. Soon my house
was full of humans 10 in all. Those 4 little children were sure rowdy and noisy. I laid in
the pathways where they walked and claimed my house. Once all four little ones were in
the basement playing. I laid on the basement steps and put out my claws when they came
up, they were afraid until Grandma Meow made me move.
On November 29th, the Monday morning after the eight human invaders left my house, I
woke up Grandpa Meow and put him through the food then out routine. At 7:45 AM I
was on my way back to the house when a friendly Kennedy High student from the Five
Seasons Mobile Home Park was making his shortcut way across Freeway F-100 and
Grandpa Meow's back 40. We played a bit. Josh took the books out of his bag and
showed me, algebra and some spiral notebooks. He put me inside, ziiip, zip, it was dark
and close in that book bag. Daddy Sir Hero had taught me never, never to cross the
freeway, but Josh did, and he carried me across too. roar, whoosh, zoom went the cars.
Soon I was all alone, locked in Josh's house. About three PM Josh came home. Later
Josh's mom came home and found I had used her big round litter box with a flower in it.
She ordered Josh to take me back to where he found me. Josh argued that since I had no
collar, I must be a stray in need of a home. My collars were always getting caught on
things, just one week ago I had lost my second collar. I notice it is much easier to catch
birds with out those jingle - jingle tags. Josh's mom said he would have to go to WalMart
and get a litter box with his own money.
Josh traded me to Darrell for a bicycle. Darrell had two younger sisters, and I had to bite
and scratch them to keep them away from me. Darrell's dad took me for what was
planned to be a long ride in his pickup truck. I screamed and meowed so loud he stopped
and let me out far east of the Abby center on County Home Road. Daddy Sir Hero is
right, you cannot trust humans. My instinct tells me I am about two days journey from
Grandma Meow's house. I slept that night in an abandoned barn. It was cold and dogs
barked loud and long several times before morning.
At the end of the second day's journey I ran into freeway 380. I spent the next 4 weeks
looking for a way around that terrible barrier. Instinct tells me I am one days journey from
Grandpa Meow's house.
Here is a human working on doon buggies in his son in law's garage. He is older than
Grandpa Meow. His name is Arnold Ditch. His daughter Loraine, married Roger Osborn
a long time ago.
It is Wednesday, January 5th and very cold, Arnold tries to catch me all day. He tries to
lure me with food, raw hamburger. I have had plenty of shrews and mice. Trade freedom
for hamburger? Not today, Arnold. I went over to the Cedar Valley Bike Trail and had a
field mouse for supper and slept in a prairie grass hut. The night temperature felt like
zero. Next day I went back to see Arnold. He was not there. I have now lived like my
feral father for ten weeks a scary, dangerous adventure.
The morning sun sparkled bright silver over the icy snow. I must go toward the setting
sun to get home. All morning I keep my shadow ahead of me. Finally a bridge across that
freeway, an arrow sign says 380 South. Yes! Through yards and around fences, finally a
neighborhood with less traffic and only about 15 minute walk from home. I can run this in
5 minutes, maybe three. I run, a minute later there is a fence, another freeway, F-100,
Grandpa Meow calls it. Home is right on the other side, I cannot, will not cross - whoosh,
roar, zip -- honk.
Larry & Carolyn Rabaets called 286-5750 a recording said: "The number 286-5750 is not
yet in service. Please hang up and call 848-7373 to reach the Animal Control Department
at the City of Cedar Rapids."
Next day 8:15 PM, some lady in a truck came and took me to the animal shelter near
Bertram they have an Ely phone number there. Carri marked down some information
about me and scanned all around my body with a magic wand connected to a computer.
My instincts now told me I was about 3 days journey from Grandpa Meow's house toward
the north star and the setting sun. Harry put me in cage C23, It was January 14th and
there were three barking dogs in cages C4, C17 and C19.
My cage was about was about 2 X 2 and 3 feet deep. There were twenty-four cages in
this room. The caretakers Carri and Harry brought some food and cleaned my cage in the
morning and in late afternoon. The nights were long and often noisy with other cats
complaining. They told spooky tales of being put down and burned, I knew Carri or
Harry would not do such a thing. Sometimes humans came and took dogs and cats away
with them. Muffin who came in only two hours after I did went home with her masters
the next day.
The days were long and went by slowly. I asked everyone who came by to take me home
to Grandma Meow and Grandpa Meow. Sometimes Carri would pet me a little and I
would rub her and purr. My fur was matted and dull from the weather, my feet were
rough and cracked from the long cold walks on the icy and Sheri salty roads, streets and
alleys. Carri said she had seen me on the golf course in November, she scolded me and
told me Grandpa Meow could be fined fifty dollars because in CR. there is a leash law for
cats. I hissed and growled because I had heard Grandpa Meow check with the city office
when I was little, "There is not!" I hissed. Carri said the golf course is city property and
the leash law applies only for city property. "OK I said, take me home and I will stay off
your dumb city property". The state owns the property along F-100 and that's where the
best hunting is.
Carri said she could not find the paper with Grandpa Meow's phone number on it, it had
been so long since Grandma Meow had called. She said that if Grandma Meow really
cared about me she would have had a scanner activated chip implanted in the back of my
neck so the computer at least would know me. Carri said if Grandpa Meow or someone
else did not claim me by the end of next week she would send me to visit St. Peter.
Having a religious name like that he must be a nice fellow. But it seems like we always
meet right after something terrible happens. Carri said she hated to do it. If only she
could remember my master's name. Well, now I am not a very religious cat but I do
believe in God and I am a very spiritual being. God, you have been good to me, providing
me food and shelter in the wilderness. Your great and wondrous power abounds
everywhere I go. I know I have sinned by walking on Caesar's golf course and by being
selfish with my house when the little children come to visit. I know I should not have let
Josh zip me in his book bag. Please forgive me. Thank you, Lord for my parents, Sir
Hero and Aboo and for my birth under Thrersa's deck and for Grandpa Meow and
Grandma Meow and well yes, Lord, thank you even, for the excitement of the past two
months.
Now Lord if it be your will, help Carri remember Grandpa Meow's name and phone
number. Lord, help Carri think. I saw a Polk's City Directory in the office by that scanner
computer. There are only 47 households on Twin Pine Drive, 23 adjoin the golf course. I
lived in number 23, isn't that why you put me in Cage 23 here? Please God make Carri
look in that book, I never range far from home, and the neighbors all know me, Carri
could call any of them.
It is afternoon, I have been in this cage about a week now, it is January 20, 2000, the
clock on the wall says 1:14 PM. Someone is paging through a book in the office. I hear
Carri say: "Benjamin Franklin, 4153 Twin Pine, that's it, slowly she says Grandpa Meow's
numbers as she pushes the phone buttons , 3, beep, 6 beep, 2 beep, 7 beep, 2 beep, 6 beep,
2 beep. Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring. "Hello". Hooray, that is Grandpa Meow's voice. "You
have reached 362-7262". Oh no, they are not home! Maybe they went to ARIZONA for
the winter again this year. Please God let Carri leave a message. "We are away from the
phone just now but if you will leave a message we will get back to you"
"This is Carri at the animal shelter, we have a black and white cat that may be yours,
please call 848-7373, thank you."
Thank you God. Thank you Carri.
Now God, I know you are busy and but I have already visited seven times with your
gatekeeper, Saint Peter: He said the limit is nine. I hate to be always asking favors but
could you please see to it that Grandpa Meow picks up his messages soon.
I watch the clock and wait, soon the phone rings, alas, not Grandpa Meow, one hour, two
hours, seven calls and no Grandpa Meow. It is a long night. There are no humans here
from 11 PM to 7 AM. The phone rings, it is 1:27 AM. I jolt from a half seep, half
waiting-dream state and look at the clock. One ring only, that means the answering
service has picked up the call.
It is Friday, January 21st, Carri and Harry have been in and out several times. The phone
rings, rings ,rings, no Grandpa Meow, no Grandpa Meow, no Grandpa Meow.
About noon the phone rings, the clock says 12:15 PM. There is static, I can hardly hear
the voice, but maybe, just maybe it is Grandpa Meow. Carri says, "Yes Mr. Franklin" Oh,
thank you God IT IS Grandpa Meow. "We have a black and white, domestic, short hair
cat." Now the dogs are making so much noise I can only hear half of what Carri says and
none of Grandpa Meow's voice. "Three white and one black leg." Yes, that's me. "Moon
crescent of white at the base of the tail" yes that's me! "Tiger stripes in shades of black
and darker black on the back of the head?, I will go look." Carri comes and looks at my
head. I still need grooming and sometimes those stripes I inherited from my mothers flank
don't show unless the light is just right. "No, no stripes but he is a friendly cat, big and
about 2 years old and 11 pounds.' Grandpa Meow must know it is me because now Carri
is reciting the cost of boarding, cost for shots and vet, $58 in all to be paid up front.
Saturday morning, January 22, 2000, the phone rings, 7:22 AM on the clock, I hear
Grandpa Meow tell Carri that Sheri will be down with the money, and will pick me up this
morning, soon, very soon I hope. Sheri came in about one hour, it seemed like days.
Sheri did not bring her dogs along, that was nice, but I really hated riding in her strange
smelling new red truck.
Sheri took me to see Terry Moore, the vet. I don't want to go there, I just want to go
home. A shot and a physical. A certificate of acclimation saying I can survive
temperatures down to ten degrees Fahrenheit. Can you believe these humans? I spend
more than a month in zero weather, wind chills of 60 below, rain sleet and snow, then they
take me to an expert and have him certify that I can stand ten degrees.
When Sheri turned onto Twin Pine Drive, I knew I was home. I couldn't wait to see
Grandpa Meow and Grandma Meow. I looked everywhere. No one was home. Okay
they just went out for something. That's why Sheri came to get me instead of them. I'll
just wait.
Sheri kept talking to me. She grabbed my picture and made me sit in front of it. She kept
asking me if I was really Hero. Who did she think I was?! Of course I am Hero. She put
out some food and water. Boy, was I ever thirsty. And even that plain dry off brand food
really tasted good.
I could hear Sheri talking to some people on the phone. She called them Ben and Dot.
Hey - that's my Grandpa's and Grandma Meow's name. Guess she wanted to let them
know I was home. They'll be here soon now that they know. Grandma Meow loves me -
and so does Grandpa, even though he tries to act like he does not.
They talked for 17 minutes. Sounds like they expect me to fly on an airplane and
Northwest Air will not take me unless the temperature is above ten degrees Fahrenheit.
Sheri left and I curled up and went right to sleep. It was nice to be in a warm house on a
nice soft bed. No strange noises or animals crying to keep me awake here. I was SAFE.
I am glad to be home.
I check out my home a bit more everything is about the same.
In the bathrooms there is a sweet, alluring smell, not catnip, but I like it. The stools are
filled with a green liquid, that's the nice smell. Next time I am thirsty I will drink some of
that elixir -- It smells like the Prestone Antifreeze at Arnold's shop and it seems my genetic
memory keeps saying DO NOT DRINK PRESTONE. Sir Hero told me that my half
brother Sam Black went on a reckless bender one night, lapped up a belly full of Prestone
under a car and died in the vet's office a day later. Well I won't drink THAT much. I
don't trust Sir Hero, he says Sam died two years before I was born. He could just be
making up that story.-- yet my GM, Genetic Memory or God Mind, -- well, That never
lies. And GM, Grandpa Meow shoots straight too.
What's this, it is the middle of the night one AM, someone is coming into my house!
Grandma! no, wrong smell, Burglars? No. Smells like first mom, Thrersa, yes. I like
Thrersa, she likes me too. Hey, come back here pay attention to ME. Guess she
REALLY had to go. Thrersa, all the bath rooms are the same, you don't have to use them
all. What are you doing. Well, OK now that your are done, tell me why you raced around
closing the stool lids.
"Hero my sweet little boy. Your Grandma was sleeping, far far away, in the motor home.
She heard a voice. She went to the back bedroom and woke up Grandpa Meow. No, he
said, it was not my voice, go back to sleep. Fifteen minutes later, same thing, NO, Deb I
did not speak. The third time Grandpa Meow was awakened with a similar query, he
advised -- Go back to bed, if this happens again, reply as follows: 'Speak Lord for your
servant listens'. She did and God said: 'Your cat, Hero Junior is thinking of drinking'.
Right away Grandma called me, after Sheri did not answer. You must not drink the
forbidden Prestone it's only purpose is to protect the stools from freezing".
Then Thrersa said: Now I must call your Grandma Meow. Hello Deb, yes, Hero is fine, I
don't think he drank any.
Well BIG DEAL I wasn't going to drink THAT much any way! It was nice to hear
Grandma's voice, but wow, really far away. Thrersa pets and loves on me for a long while
then leaves.
The next day Sheri and Madge took me to the airport. I was shoved into a small kennel
and carried inside. All the way out to the airport, I kept complaining and asking all kinds
of questions. "Where are we going? Where are you taking me? What's going on?" They
didn't listen or didn't understand. They just kept saying everything would be all right.
We stopped at a counter and Sheri talked to nice lady. She called me cute! The lady said
I couldn't get on the plane because it was too cold. Sheri and Madge were disappointed
and we rode back home in the truck again. This time I was quiet, I was going home.
Sheri carried me into the house and let me out of the pet caddy. Still no Grandpa or
Grandma Meow anywhere.
Then I remembered, last year when Grandpa Meow and Grandma Meow and I all went to
Arizona during the winter. I had fun there. It was warm and I managed to get free a few
times to explore on my own. Grandma Meow would get awfully worried, but I always let
her see me and catch me when I was ready.
OH NO! They are in Arizona or someplace. How in the world can I get there? It took us
days and days to get there last year in the motor home. I am really worried. Sheri keeps
talking about airplane flying,, birds fly but cats cannot. Sometimes I catch them out of
mid air but I don't fly for long or far.
Days go by, I clean up, rest and eat. The wind and the long weeks of wet and cold made
me lose weight while my fur got rough, matted and long. Cari at the animal shelter
cleaned me up a little but I still don't look so good. Sheri comes over every morning and
talks to me. She gives me clean water and more food. She brings in the mail and puts it
on Grandpa Meow's table.
Madge comes over in the afternoons. She doesn't talk much, just sits and reads. She
seemed lonely too so after a couple of days I climbed into her lap and let her pet me. It
was nice. Madge would pet and read and I would purr and knead. The old toys were
comforting familiar. We played with them, Madge and me. And petted and purred.
More days went by. Sheri would talk to Grandpa Meow on the phone and I could tell he
was getting very angry. My fur was beginning to look and feel better. I don't want to go
outside at all. Not even when Sir Hero, senior comes by to look at me. I used to think he
was the cat's Meow, but I really like my home, being warm, having food and people who
love me. This sure beats the feral life.
I like Sheri and Madge, they are nice. I really miss Grandma Meow and Grandpa. I am
lonesome for them. Will I ever see them again?
February one, Hey - what's this? Sheri shoves me into the kennel again and we are off in
her blue truck. Back to the airport. Sheri argues with a guy in a big drafty building. Then
we go to another building , by a lot of people and talk to the nice lady who thinks I am
cute. Sheri says good-bye. The nice lady puts me on a conveyor belt. It smells funny and
makes strange squeaky growly noises. Maybe she's not so nice after all. Now I am on a
big cart stuck in between some boxes and suitcases. It is a little cold but nothing like it
was when I was outside on my own trying to get home.
A guy in blue coveralls tosses my kennel into a huge airplane and closes the big door.
Pretty dark in here - even with my cat eyes. Whine, shake, tremble, terrific noise. I
meow, I scream, I scream louder. No one can hear me. The noise is now less loud but
constant. Nothing I can do - I crouch down and wait. Continuous rumble far away, sort
of pleasant. Half asleep it reminds me of my mom's purring when I was a baby.
Finally everything stops and we sit still and quiet. The door opens and I can see some
lights. This is Minneapolis. About an hour later and two cart rides with suitcases we are
back in the air. I have a dog as a compartment mate.
Two hours later, the clock says 7 PM. This is Phoenix , an elevator ride down with that
dog.! He barked at me and I hissed and spit on him through the door of my travel cage.
Grandma Meow, Grandpa! On the 40 mile ride to the motor house in North Phoenix I
heard Grandma Meow and Grandpa Meow talking about suing Northwest Air, Ron and
Jim who refused to ship me unless the temp was 35 degrees. Grandpa Meow finally got
Theresa to call Jim and tell him the requirement is 10 degrees. They would not listen.
The CR. manager Neil says he has worked for TWA and all the airlines, and 35 degrees is
the policy. Grandpa Meow even bought a first class round trip ticket $1,516 so he could
come pick me up. Then refunded it a few days later.
Sue Northwest Air? Aren't they even glad to see me? I am air sick, angry and scared, my
bushy matted hair stands straight up. My feet are cracked and swollen. Once back in the
motor house Grandma becomes sure I am Hero, her cat.
Humans are really dense.
In first spring of the new millennium, after we all got back from Phoenix, I am like
grounded, locked in, leashed. I want to visit the site where Josh, the Kennedy High School
boy kidnapped me. After three weeks of debate Grandma finally turns me out free, but
with supervision. I remember what it was like before Josh and Darrell. And -- the
Phoenix flight. Yes, my freedom is rising from ashes and may fly again. I notice Grandma
is much more attentive and worries when I don't give her at least one small task each hour
or so.
Sundown. All day inside, Friday had been a long day, boring, I hear the car. Grandpa and
Grandma come roaring up the drive and around behind the house. They have 3 big lawn
mowers on the trailer. Mowers just like the one Grandma uses. Grandpa says the mowers
were built from 1960 to 1982, in a factory, Hull Industries, Sioux County Iowa. Grandma
was a welder there. Grandpa helped Glen, the banker, own the company, then they sold it
to George Brown in '76. Glen died in '94.
Humility. I am very humble. I know who I am and I act appropriately. Grandpa says
humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. He also says we are
all unique and precious creations of a Higher Power and it would be blasphemy to think
unkindly of ourselves. It is very hard for me to be humble when Grandpa talks about Me
in these terms.
Sheri and Madge's dogs, Clancy and Bubba the Cairn terriers are staff to serve the Madge-
Sheri pair, and since Sheri/Madge are staff to me, that makes me the terriers' Grand
Master. The way they bark at me -- they have NO humility. It's as if they do not know
that I am the Grand Master.
Grandpa and Grandma keep busy, busy, busy. Pouring concrete, seven slabs in two years,
no doubt, four with buildings and three without. Grandpa made me a huge litter box west
of the last concrete slab with the sand not used in these projects.
Gradually as the summer passed, I regained my freedom. Grandpa explained where the
City golf course property line is. I stay off the course, I have plenty of room to hunt along
Freeway F-100 and on the back lot.
Sir Hero has quit coming around. I think he made his ninth visit to Saint Peter sometime
in September 2000.
Last week the chill factor was minus 33. Grandpa opened the door for me, I shivered and
shook my feet. It was nice to stay inside all day. There are five places in my home where
there are warm spot lights, Grandma will switch them on for me if I hint. I steer clear of
humans with book bags; cold, snowy weather and noises that sound like jet airplanes.
Once frozen, twice cautious or is that once burned, twice cautious?
I dictated the above and Grandpa typed it. "My Adventure by Hero the Cat" he calls it.
Grandpa continues to ask me lots of questions, some boring, some interesting. All to be
answered yes, or no. I say yes and smile, eyes almost closed or NO, with my eye iris wide
like O. "Hero did you know Phoenix was a Bird that rose from ashes in the time when
your ancestors were kittens?" Yes, yes, I know, -- I know all that, it's coded in my
Genetic Memory, I try to tell you that you have Genetic Memory too. You humans don't
listen to Me or to the Voices Of Your Ancestors.
Grandpa says he is planning to write a Christmas letter, he better hurry Christmas is almost
here. I wonder if he will tell about all the people we visited in Phoenix, California,
Oklahoma and Missouri.
They say next year, they are going to Alaska in, to be in Fairbanks, June 22nd, I wonder if
they will take me and the motor home.
With defiant, disinterested arrogance, I remain,
Mine truly,
Hero the cat.
