My Boyfriend's Back

(1963, The Angels)

I didn't know it when I took this picture on my way out of the goat barn in the morning, but I would soon be asking for this little guy's help when I had to put out a BOLO (be on the lookout) on Ralph.  It's hard to describe how heartsick I was to wake up from a nap and found the wind had blown open the kitchen door.  Totally panicked, I went through the house looking for Ralph and Celeste.  They usually sleep during my naptimes and I hoped and hoped that was the case yesterday.  But no.  They were gone.  Going outside, my heart in my throat, I called and called, and went slowly (so as not to scare them, should they be hiding) around the house.  It was such a relief to find Celeste on the deck.  She was afraid and crying, never having been outdoors here, but let me pick her up and take her inside.  Ohmigosh, she stuck to me like a limpet.  Poor little girl.  But Ralph was out there alone.

I can't tell you how many times throughout the rest of the day Bess and I went out looking for my little redheaded boy.  There are so many, many real dangers out there in the daytime, let alone after dark.  Seeing a hawk swoop down made my heart stop until I knew it wasn't for Ralph.  Same thing when vultures lined up on the fence posts.  My imagination dreamed up the worst of the worst.  Night fell and still no Ralph.

Five-thirty in the morning, dark and raining, and a small voice outside woke me.  Could it be?  Barefoot and in my nightgown, turning on porch lights as I went, I raced out to the deck and there he was!  The little twerp stayed behind the potted plants all the way around the house until I caught him by the dining room doors, both of us soaked.  Ralph evidently had not figured out how to use the outside facilities, because the first thing he did was head for the litter box.  Next stop was the food dish.  Now he's curled up on the bed beside Celeste and Bessie Anne.  As deep as my depression had been, my relief is greater.

Yesterday was not a good day.  Today, nothing can go wrong.  My boyfriend's back.