What a story to tell

Saturday, March 14th, Timmy* escaped when I left the front door open a crack… I didn’t mean to leave the door open when I was in the studio.

I found him sleeping in a leaf pile near the garden shed. Unfortunately, I spooked him when I tried to pick him up and he ran to the front of the house.  I called his name, Timmy, Timmy, over and over again and then… I heard meows coming from my car.  I located the pitiful sounding meows coming from the engine compartment. For an hour, I sat on the ground at the front tire calling his name and shaking his yummy treat bag.  He wasn’t budging from within the car.  I called every public service department in town, the fire (they said they would have to tear apart my car $$$$)  and police, animal control (leave him be I was told),  AAA to see if they could jack up my car (they don’t provide that kind of animal/auto service), my VW dealer (they said do not turn on the car), my animal hospital.  I could not believe how heartless these public servants were.  Many stories have been reported of foxes, deer and lately a beaver being rescued by firemen and police.  An auto mechanic was called for help by a neighbor (just leave him be).  As a last resort, I blasted my car horn several times to scare him out…NOPE.

What a blessing to have caring neighbors who took pity on me and Timmy.  These folks came to our rescue. It was determined Timmy was wedged under the battery shelf. They removed the battery but the shelf was bolted to the metal block.  They jacked up the car and removed the tire thinking perhaps something inside the wheel well could be torn away…NOPE. That battery shelf had to be removed.  One of my neighbors came over with an electric hack saw and all our eyes lit up in fear… no thank you. Well, after breaking three hand saw blades, we had no other choice but to cut the bolts with the electric saw. In seconds the bolts were cut. The men pulled with all their might and broke the battery shelf so I could reach in and extract Timmy from the engine compartment. It was like delivering a baby…reaching in and pulling and twisting until he popped out. I held on to him no matter what and put him in the house where he flew under the bed.

He is fine…me? I was emotionally spent by the whole ordeal.  My car had to be towed away by AAA to my VW dealer and have the damage repaired.

I am so relieved to have Timmy sitting on my lap purring again.  I am so thankful for having such wonderful neighbors, who persevered for hours in the cold to help rescue my furry friend.   

*Timmy is my late son's feral kitten he rescued from under a beach cottage during his radiation and chemo treatment.  Timmy came home to live with me after Jeremy passed away.