THE THOMSON FAMILY SCRAPBOOK Compiled From Original Scrapbook Of David & Jeanne Thomson

SAMUAL (SAM) S. KITTY 1986-2003

1986 - BEGINNING

We are not exactly sure of the date when Sam allowed himself to become our cat. It was in 1986, that we are sure of, but as to the month or day we can only guess.

It had to be in the spring or early summer as the day was warm and sunny, a rare day in Columbus, Ohio where we were living. I was working at Columbia Gas System Research Department and Jeanne was working at ODOT, Ohio Department Of Transportation. Jeanne was on flex time and went to work about 6AM. I think I to was on flex time and if I was, I normally arrived at work about 7AM.

We lived on a cul-de-sac about 15 minutes from my job. The neighborhood was just north of Upper Arlington, a well-to-do neighgorhood were Jack Nicklaus grew up. Our home was a nice ranch that backed up to a vacant field that was owned by the city of Columbus and intended to be a school some day.

We had seem this cat, really not much out of the kitty stage, hanging around the sewer entrance just to the right of our driveway, for several days. Now I was not a cat person then as I had had several bad experiences cats, namely the time my older brother's cat, a siamese, ran across my brother's living room and bit me on the leg for no reason at all. I had always been somewhat leary of cats due to their sharp teeth and claws, especially the claws, which can be like long, thin knives. In 1986 I was just turning 45 years old and had managed to avoid cats 99.99% of my life.

This cat seemed to be living in the sewer as over a few days that is where it always ran when anyone or thing approached it. Just walking toward it and it would dive in the sewer opening and disappear. I would drive up our short driveway, probably 25 feet long, to the garage and would invariably see the cat down by the sewer opening. I always had a soft spot in my heart for animals and could not stand to see other people abuse an animal and I certainly could not do so either.

I had tried to approach the cat several times with no success. And I believe several times we had left food near by, which the cat seemed to eat. On this one day, I arrived home and again saw the cat down by the sewer. So I walked toward it and was very surprised when it didn't run away. Talking gently to the cat as I approaced, it just looked at me. I don't know why to this day why I did what I did next. I picked up the cat and carried it inside where Jeanne was fixing dinner. Why this cat let me pick it up I don't know. Maybe it was hungry and we had left it food. Maybe it was tired of living in the sewer. Who knows.

From that day in 1986 until May 18th, 2003, that lives of that cat, Jeanne and I were forever intertwined to the betterment and joy of the three of us.