Lucas In The Rafters

Yesterday I buried the old barn cat. He never had a name other than “the old barn cat” or I sometimes called him “turtle” because he was old and slow, and was fascinated by turtles. The day before, I had found him sitting in the water that drains from the barn, out towards the manure pile, with a tiny baby turtle. I suspected that he was getting ready to die, so I picked him up and carried him around. We walked into the woods, where he once prowled around, stalking little critters like birds, field mice, squirrels, and lizards. He was so relaxed and peaceful in my arms, yet he was as alert as ever. That was a good feeling, telling him about all the things he would miss here at the old barn, but reassuring him that he would soon be crossing the Rainbow Bridge to a fantastic new world. Of course I told him to say hi to my fur babies that had already crossed over, and I reminded him of a few of his friends that were already there waiting for him.

I had noticed a few things in my time on the property. It is a great place to come and get away from all of the noise of the suburbs. Traffic in the area has gotten really bad. I can’t understand how small towns and cities can just keep growing without any coordinated planning. It’s all so thoughtless really. My friend that bought this farm had previously been renting another farm property, but that had been sold and is now a busy, connector road. In the past month, ten houses went up along the road that I take to get to the farm. Across from those, all the trees have also been cut down, in preparation for more building. In fact, that open space expands all the way from the back road, through to the main road on the other side of, what was once, a forest. On the main road there is a shopping center and traffic lights at the entrance. So now, when I sit at the light, I can see almost all the way to the back road, and to the run-down old barn. I really hope they are not planning to take that out next. The thought is devastating.

I come to the farm to walk the dogs. All of the animals here were rescued early on in their lives, and are all pretty old now, along with their human parents. That’s why I am here, to help out. I often feel like a kid, playing detective. There are so many little things to notice. Anyone could walk right past without ever noticing, but not me. I really stop to smell the flowers… and eat the berries… and pet the horses, sit with the kitties, listen to the old man, wade in the creek, follow wild critter tracks, and do my best not to step on baby turtles… or rattle snakes… or copperheads… or just any snakes at all. Oooh but I love it when a wild animal wanders into the barn or just comes near the barn. So far I have seen lots of different kinds of birds, especially the resident Coopers Hawk. Then there was the young opossum in the feed room, the tiny baby turtle in the entrance, the big turtle in the driveway, and although I have not seen one, I sure can smell the droppings from the raccoons that live in the rafters of the barn. I love following the tracks from the opposums and raccoons. I can tell the raccoons love to put their feet, or hands, in the water bowl, and that the possums like to climb up into the old man’s truck. I am pretty sure there is an armadillo that lives out there, as well. I can see where it has rooted around with its snout, in the leaves and dirt. I got to see one in my own yard, that’s how I knew what the curious markings were.

When I am done with all of the chores, I like to go into the cat room. There is a cat room in the barn and the boss says those cats have minds that are somewhere else, so they cannot be let out. There are five of them in there, but I swear there is another cat that my boss is not aware of. That one does not live in the cat room. That one lives in the rafters. I call him Lucas. I had never seen him come down. No one else has ever seen him either. Well, I have seen his eyes, his face, and I have heard his meows and growls. I know the cats in the cat room know he is there. Sometimes they will all climb on top of the cage to stretch their necks, just to catch a sniff. You can watch their little noses twitching. Sometimes the cats get crazy and dash across the room, leaping from wall to wall and climbing up to the ceiling. Once, I just happened to be sitting in there when I heard a growl, and I looked up to see one of the cats, on a perch, making droppings, right into the litter box. Crazy kitty! But that was when I heard a disturbance, up above. I went into the empty stall, where the ladder was. I opened the A-frame ladder, and started to climb. I took in a deep breath, because of the raccoon droppings and dust, and held it, as I peered up, through the cobwebs in the rafters. There he was. Lucas. He quickly ran off. I never did figure out what had happened. There were a few more times I went looking for him, when I heard him, but I never did see him again, until today.

I suspect that Lucas watches everything that goes on in the barn. There is always cat food out, so I am sure he never goes hungry. The other cats stay out of the rafters, well, all except the old barn cat. He used to sit, perched up on the open beams of the rafters. I knew that he like to watch everything that went on in the barn. He would come down and sit on my lap, though. He was a sweet kitty. They all are, and I am not a cat person. One of the things that I learned there, is that as the cats get close to death, they sit at the edge of water, as if they are peering into destiny. Another thing I learned, is that the animals talk to each other. I mean, even after they have passed on. After each animal has passed, others that were once skittish or afraid of me, come out and warm up to me. It’s a truly great feeling. So I guess, I am thinking that the old barn cat must have told Lucas that I am not so bad and that he should come out to get to know me, because Lucas just came to the edge of the rafters, climbed down, came over to me, and now I have a new best friend! It is in moments like this, when all of the worries are forgotten and the simplicity to the meaning of life is found, right here, in this little, run-down, old barn. Thank you, old barn cat, my dear friend.