It had been a hot, humid week. Now, after a heavy rain storm, the air had cooled. Opie was out on the enclosed porch enjoying the cool evening air. I was watching TV. After ten o'clock I got up to close up the porch. I always close the glass doors and lock them. But, this time as I walked out onto the porch, to my horror I found the screen on one of the doors hanging down leaving a large, gaping hole and Opie was gone. In a panic I first ran all through the house just to make sure that he hadn't run inside after the fright of having the screen collapse on him. Because, obviously, he had climbed it which caused it to pull from the door frame. He was nowhere. I was so upset I didn't know what to do. I turned on the spotlight which lit up my back yard and I ran out looking for him. Having no luck I came back in the house. I waited until I knew my sister was at work (she works third shift) and I called her for moral support. I told her what happened and she said when her friend's cat got out she found it hiding in the bushes. So, I got a flashlight and went out again shining it in every bush and tree in my yard. Nothing. There was nothing more I could do except wait for morning and search the neighborhood. I knew that wherever he was, he was frightened and he would be hiding silently somewhere.

It was about 1:00AM when I got into bed. I was praying God would bring him back to me. At fifteen months old, Opie is still such a baby. He's afraid of rabbits. When he saw a rabbit in the yard a couple of weeks ago he came running into the house and hid from it. My poor little baby, the terror he must be in. I fell asleep for a little while but I would wake up remembering that Opie was gone and pray for him some more.

It was about 4:00AM when I woke up again. I got up and wandered out to the porch to look out. Nothing. I got back into bed. I was beginning to feel so alone and abandoned but I told myself not to lose faith. So, I prayed again and I told my husband, in heaven, that I needed him to help me. Something told me to just keep my ears open. I laid there listening to the night, the crickets, the low hum of traffic on the interstate in the distance. A few minutes later, around 4:45AM I heard it - the guttural, blood curdling scream - "AAAAHHHHRRROOOOOEEUUuuu!!!!! AAAHHHHRRROOOOOEEUUuuu!!!!!!" It was him!! It was Opie! I grabbed my robe and threw it on. I don't even remember if I put shoes on. I ran out on the porch and flipped on the spotlight. There he was by the same door he fell out of. I had put food out on the steps for him hoping he would smell it and find his way back. So, I grabbed the dish and went over to him slowly. He was screaming in sheer terror, his eyes wide with fright and his blue eye shining red. He was a terror just to look at. I put the food near him but he barely acknowledged it. Then, I slowly reached out and petted him on the head. That seemed to bring him back to normal a little. Then, I reached over and picked him up. I ran into the house with him, hugs and kisses all the way. I gave him a bowl of milk to calm him down which he lapped up hungrily. Finally, relief. He looked all right so I gave thanks and went back to bed.

Nikki and Diggory came on the bed with me. Opie came in a little later. I knew he came in the room when Nikki hissed loudly and growled. He hopped up on my desk and cleaned himself. Then, he came over onto the bed where I had his food and he ate. I petted him and stroked him but he ignored me. He hopped back onto the desk. About twenty minutes later he came back over to eat, ignored me and went back to the desk to sleep. I couldn't understand this. You would think he would want comfort and assurance from his mommy that everything was all right. Then it occurred to me, of course, it was obvious, he was mad at me. Mad because after being unceremoniously tossed out the door, I didn't come to rescue him from the place where he was hiding and waiting for me in terror. Then, after spending at least seven or eight hours in that terrible darkness, he finally decided to make a run for it and come back to the house. But, to further insult him, I had locked up the doors and he couldn't get back in through the gaping hole he had been tossed out of. What indignation!

Aside from that, I realized that it was Nikki's (designated) birthday - the day Opie fell out of the house, and if she could have wished for anything I'm sure she would have wished that Opie would disappear. Well, she got her wish - for a few hours anyway. And, I might add, since I didn't know how long the screen was down, Nikki got an extra birthday surprise. A host of bugs took the opportunity to invite themselves into my home. There were several large flies, a moth and there was some kind of bug I found in my refrigerator. After his exhausting night, Opie slept all the next day and spent the night chasing buggies around. Nikki, who isn't one for the chase, just enjoyed watching the little surprises pop up here and there. And I, for one, was just too glad to have everything back to normal.

Copyright © Julie Balon
August 25, 2003