Some years ago I was having a nice lazy start to the day, when there came a knock at the door. I got up and opened it to find two Jehovah's Witnesses (and their kids) on the doorstep. "Good morning" they chorused "Isn't it a lovely day!" "It was" I muttered somewhat uncharitably (I hate being disturbed when I'm reading in bed!) - and began to think about getting rid of them. The sun was at an angle so it just reached the screen door but the hallway behind me was very dark. Suddenly there came a blood-curdling growl - and Spook, my fabulous black cat came hurtling down the hallway and flung himself at the screen door, landing about human face height and rattling it ferociously! Hiss! Spit! Grr! (Most unlike him - he was usually friendly to a fault!).

They took a leap backwards and stood there uncertainly. "Now come on Spook" I said - they shivered at the name (but he was named from the Wizard of Id - our other cat of the time was King aka the Fink!) - and stared agog as I tried to prise his paws off the door. As fast as I got one paw off and started on the next he'd wrenched the first one back out of my hands and was attaching it to the screen door and growling again! "I think we'd better go now!" - and they beat a hasty retreat.

We never had another visit from the JW's the whole time we were in that house - we'd see them doing the street but they never knocked on our door again. Don't know if they have a "no go" register (we looked for secret signs on the fence!) - but we were quite grateful to the cat. As a Christian myself, I have a problem with door to door evangelism - though I'm happy to talk with those who want to hear. It was the only time in his life that I saw the aggressive side of Spook's personality - quite amazing. Maybe he didn't like having his snuggly time with me disturbed - after all, he was sharing the bed!

Copyright © Jenny Donovan
September 20, 1998