Jack Reporting for Cricket

By SR. ELIZABETH HELLER
I am sorry to have to tell you that Cricket, the cat who has been writing to you for over five years, and his older buddy Toni Bear went over the Rainbow Bridge this past year.
Toni was the old man of the family, who taught Cricket everything he knew. Cricket was a quick learner, and loved Toni his teacher. The two of them were great friends and buddies.
Cricket took good care of Toni as Toni started to show his age, and Toni was always there for Cricket as Cricket started to feel under the weather also. You may remember that Mom (Gloria) adopted two “Jersey Boys” — Jack and Peanut— about three years ago to join the family. This made a great combination of teachers and anxious learners. Now Jack has taken over Cricket’s job of reporting to you the family news. Hope you enjoy his first attempt.
Peanut and I were very upset when Toni and Cricket left us! Mom tried to console us, and make sure we were OK—but–something was missing! At first we didn’t know what, but then it dawned on us. Peanut whispered into my ear one evening—“We need someone to talk to, to pass on everything that Toni and Cricket taught us–we need some new members for this family–and Mom is lonely and sad, we need to help her! What can we do?”
We thought about it and came up with this idea—adopt! So every night when Mom went to bed, we took turns whispering into her ear–“Mom you adopted us–do it again. We want some new brothers or sisters—and so do you!” Peanut was the best at doing this, he can really talk, and he loves purring Mom to sleep.
heard Mom talking to our Aunt Betty on the phone. They were talking about going to visit Pop-Corn Zoo. This Zoo is located in Forked River NJ, and all the animals there are rescued. There is also Dog Town and Kitty City, and you can sponsor or adopt a dog or cat from there.
We knew they were probably going for their annual spring visit. Peanut asked, “Do you think there is any hope that they will adopt?” I said, “Keep up the good work. We’ll both try even harder. Just keep purring, “Adopt, Adopt.” Well, they went on their visit to PopCorn Zoo, and came back with–nothing! What went wrong? We couldn’t figure it out, but we didn’t give up. “Come on St. Francis, help us out!” Then it happened!
After about two weeks, our carriers came out of the closet, got dusted off, and clean towels were put into them. What’s up? It’s not time for us to visit the vet–or is this an answer to prayer? We cats know about God who takes good care of us, and we do have St. Francis on our side. We’ll just sit back and watch.
A beautiful April Saturday, and Aunt Betty is here helping Mom put our carriers into the car, then they are off! I grab Peanut around his neck, and we roll all over the floor. We both cry, “It’s Happening!
It’s going to Happen! Let’s take a nap so we are wide awake when they come home!” All afternoon we dream about cats: white cats, black cats, spotted cats–then we hear a car door open. Get to the window – Quick! It’s Mom and Aunt Betty and they each have a carrier that looks heavy. “Get on the couch Peanut, and look like you’re asleep,”
I say. In they come and put the carriers on the floor, and open the doors. We wait–finally two ears can be seen, then a head. Out of one carrier bolts a white and gray cat, who takes off like a flash and disappears behind the hot water heater. Slowly out
of the other carrier emerges a beautiful gray and white—girl?
Yes, Yes, a girl—our new little sister–and she is beautiful!
This will be a very blessed Christmas for us. With Toni and Cricket watching over us, we are a big family again—Jack, Peanut, our baby brother Josh, and baby sister Willow. With the Baby Jesus to help us, we will all try to make Mom’s Christmas a happy one —for loving us all so much!
Blessings on all of you this Christmas!
Heller writes from Flourtown, Pa.