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This Story Truely Touched My Heart

Ugly

By Carl L. Cooper

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 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 had long ago 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 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 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 scarred, 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 thank ful.
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.

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