passages

the kitten had left behind assorted patches of fur throughout the brand new residence. grey hair was scattered across the carpets and rugs of the majority of rooms within the vast, empty home. the boy had repeatedly asked his father not to bring the animal home, but the old man paid no heed to his son's requests. "i'm allergic. i'm violently allergic to cats. and you know that," the boy pleaded to his father, but to no avail.

the kitten, an american shorthair, was certainly friendly enough. in fact, the feline was very affectionate, at least as far as the species is concerned. but that didn't matter. the boy had always been allergic to the majestic creatures for as far back as he could remember. and even though he still preferred cats to dogs and would never turn away a stray tabby in the streets, the reality was that the symptoms the boy suffered in the presence of the animals were just too pronounced to overlook. red, watery eyes. coughing and wheezing. sore throat. itchy skin. and most significantly, breathing difficulties. severe breathing difficulties. so much so that the boy was often left with no choice but to exit the home for a few hours whenever his symptoms began to flare up as a result of the new house guest.

the boy and his father had obviously been having their difficulties of late. they had not spoken in months, and not enjoyed a close relationship in years. resentment had been building, on both sides of the ledger, for quite some time. the old man, stung by years of silence and rejection, had finally had enough, it appeared. and certainly the boy was not blameless in this ongoing battle of the wills. for he had made little effort to mend the fences that had long been broken between he and his father. but left to his own devices, and feeling abandoned once his brother and mother had departed for greener pastures, the boy now felt defenceless. and so, in his mind, the presence of the cat in the home represented the last straw. the years of conflict and tension were finally coming to a head. and today was the day that both sides had once and for all elected to lay all of their cards on the table.

"why would you bring that animal into this home? you know that i can't be in the same environment as that cat. you, of all people, should understand that."

"you can hide in your room then. like you always do."

"i can't spend the rest of my life in my room."

"the cat is staying. my mind is made up."

"so i guess i'll have to leave home then."

"i would rather you go than the cat."

and with that, the boy had moved on.

"you don't raise heroes, you raise sons. and if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes." - walter m. schirra, sr.