Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was.
Ugly was the resident tomcat.
Ugly loved three things in this world ... fighting, eating garbage, and
shall we say ... love.
The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had
their effect on Ugly.
To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been
was a gaping hole.He was also missing his ear on the same side,
His left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and
had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always
turning the corner.
His tail has long been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he
would constantly jerk and twitch.
Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the
sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing
scabs.
Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction.
"That's one UGLY cat!!"All the children were warned not to touch
him.
The adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he
tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would
not leave.Ugly always had the same reaction.
If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked
until you gave up and quit.
If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around his feet
in
forgiveness.
Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically
and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love.
If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your
shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbors huskies.
They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled.
From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his
aid.
By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad
life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly
out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his
front.
As I picked him up and tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing
and gasping,and could feel him struggling.
I must be hurting him terribly I thought.
Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear.
Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to
suckle my ear.
I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his
head,
then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the
distinct sound of purring.
Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only
for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I
had ever seen.
Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away
from me, or struggle in any way.
Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him
for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scared, deformed
little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true
pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly.
Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books,
lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always
be thankful.
He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and
it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply.
To give my total to those I cared for.
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful,
but for me ...
I will always try to be Ugly.
~Author Unknown ~
