~Fender~

Ready for a good story? Well, this one qualifies for a "doozy", I'll assure you! Ready? Here we go. It's a hot summer day. I'm up early, as I'm preparing for a wedding in Cookeville, TN. I grabbed my coffee, sipping carefully as I walk into the office, careful to not wake my sleeping children. As I was counting batteries & going thru mental checklists, I heard what I was just sure was a small cat outside my office door. I'm doubtful, thinking that it would be just like my oldest boy to go outside and make meow-ing noises at 6:15 am. (But hadn't I just seen him asleep?) I carefully opened the door to check it out, and to my amazement saw the tiniest little kitten huddled under the bench by the office door! She was just meow-ing away and I tried to get her to come to me. Of course, she thought about it, and she darted for the "flower" bed (more like a "weed bed") at the side of our house. I tried to coax her out of there, and where does she go? Right up in my van's engine. So I go right back into the office, to the kitchen for more coffee, and grab a saucer and milk. Even heat the milk a bit. Put that saucer by the van, sit on the bench and wait. And wait. And wait. Mike came out to wait, too. Finally, we pop the hood, and look for her. We see her! And she shrinks further away. WAY down in the engine. So we go inside and figure she'll get out. Three hours later, I'm loading the van. No sign of kitty. My "assistant" for the day, Heather Graviss, came to meet at the house. We hop in the van, take off for Cookeville, assured by Mike that the kitten has most likely gotten out and run far, far away by now. Heather & I review to-do's for the wedding, go over some notes, and get ready to get off the interstate, trying to decide where to eat. Hitting the exit ramp, we hear "Meooowww?" It was the most pitiful, tiny, baby meow ever! And she wouldn't quit! It sounded like she was in the dash, right there with us! Yes, of course, we're freaking out a little. Call Mike. No help, he doesn't answer. Call my Daddy. Really no help. My daddy has never liked cats, ever since the calico he brought home for me when I was three, Sandy, clawed him up- why? I dunno. Anyway, no help. Heather & I need a potty break, so we pull into Chick-Fil-A. In the (rather crowded) restroom, we were discussing the kitty's plight, which prompted several concerned women to exit the potty & inform their husbands we need help. A funny side note is that when I asked the counter clerk for a box for the cat, he gave me a chicken nugget box... Anyway, to wrap the story up, I'll just tell you that the couples from Memphis and Lexington, KY couldn't get the kitty out. Although we couldn't get her out, but we did manage to get some of Heather G.'s sandwich to the kitten via three plastic straws attached together. She was so hungry, she tried to eat the straw! No one had any tools, and we weren't getting anywhere. I had to shoot a wedding in less than 60 minutes, and needed to do something. The couple from Memphis were self-professed cat-lovers, and really had their heart set on taking her home. I just had to dash all of their hopes, telling them that if this cat makes it out alive, she is definitely coming home with me. I mean, it was too good of a story for her not to be coming home with me, right?!?

I had the bright idea to find a car dealership or shop to help us out. We went to Cumberland Toyota in Cookeville. I asked for a mechanic to help us out, and got not one, but a whole crew! The first one aptly informed me that she was in the "fender well" of the vehicle. (I just said "she's in that part right there over the tire.") This guy was such a softy! He was coaching the mechanics to hurry, because he couldn't stand the kitty sounding so pitiful! Heather G. holding the kitty...So, we got her out. Heather G., me, and a whole host of others. What do you do with a stowaway cat when you've got eight hours of wedding photography coverage to provide? You stop at Dollar Tree & get her canned cat food & a water bowl, and hope that she'll just be happier in the Chick-Fil-A box than in the fender well of your minivan.

So imagine the bride's surprise when we walk in the room of the church where she & the bridesmaids were getting ready with the kitty in the box... I started with, "Well, I've got a funny story, and a favor to ask you..." Everyone thought she was just great! She stayed in the van for the reception, though. (Don't worry, it was much cooler than in the heat of the day when she first made it out.)

And this is me and Heather G. at the end of the day. Thanks, Heather, for a fun time! You'll never forget this! =) So, we got home at about 10:45 or 11 that night. The next day, my boys christened the kitten "Sally Fender Wamble". "Sally" because she was near the wheel well of the car, and Sally from the movie Cars loved that place Wheel Well. "Fender" because the mechanics said the correct term was the "fender well". And Wamble, because well, you know, Luke (my youngest) says she's the boys new "little sistuhr".

So, as I wrap up this post, Fender is laying beside me. She's been a [mostly] sweet cat, and she's certainly good for a few laughs. Never having had an inside cat, I'm learning a lot. Like, you know cats teethe like babies? And oh wow, is she skittish... but, then if I lived with three little boys, I would be, too! Oh, and she probably won't be an inside cat forever, either. I just have to get her fixed first... don't want any more stowaways tagging along for photoshoots.

Nope, I'm not a cat person. Just a Fender person.

Stay tuned for the wedding peeks! ~Heather