The Two Pandemic Cats

The Two Pandemic Cats

By Lori McCloskey

Today is April 31st, and it should be a joyous day since I am supposed to get married, but I can't. We have been hit by a pandemic caused by a virus called Virus 89, and everything is shut down. What's worse is nobody knows where the virus originated from.

The United States was his first, and three million people have died in the first five months. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has us quarantined, and nobody is to leave their homes. My friends are depressed after being at home for a prolonged period of time.

Groceries are delivered to our homes, and ordering things online is our only means of getting things we need. Not being able to leave our home has made people stir-crazy. After two months of being quarantined, I thought my fiancé and my friend needed a cat. So, I got each of them one.

***

This nightmare all started in November, just after my fiancé, Gene Lawson, proposed to me. We had decided to get married after dating for a year. We met through a mutual friend at Universal Computer Company, where we work.

We were about to get married. We had started to talk about who we were inviting to the wedding, what kind of cake we wanted, and where we were going to buy our wedding rings. Our plans backfired when it was announced on the news that a virus was spreading.

In the news today, the CDC has reported that three hundred people have died from a virus known as Virus 89. The hospitals are overcrowded with people who have come down with the virus. Right now, nobody knows where the virus originated from, and there is no vaccine to stop it. The CDC is starting to quarantine everyone. Everyone is to stay home.

When I got the news, I called my best friend, Tina. She hadn't gotten the news yet.

"Tina, have you heard the news?"

"No, I guess not. What is going on?"

"We are going to be quarantined. Three hundred people have already died from Virus 89."

"Oh, no! This is terrible!"

"I wonder how long this is going to last?"

"I have no idea, but this could affect your wedding day."

"I have never thought about that. Well, all we can do is see what happens."

"You are more optimistic than I am."

"Well, we have only two options. We can feel doomed, or have hope that a cure for the virus will come soon. I choose to have hope."

"I guess you're right. We have to hang in there, but it will be hard. I live by myself, and I like people."

“I will talk to you later. Just hang in there, okay?”

“Okay, bye.”

When I got off the phone, I couldn't believe what I said to Tina. I didn't feel as optimistic as I sounded. I sat back in my chair, wondering how long it would take to come up with a vaccine. My wedding could be postponed indefinitely.

That night, Gene called me after hearing the news. He sounded depressed and disappointed.

“There is no telling how long we will be isolated. I remember we were quarantined for a long time during the last pandemic. I’m not going to be able to deal with another one. Plus, I don’t think we are going to be able to get married in April.”

“Gene, maybe they learned from the last pandemic, and this one might not be as bad.”

“Fat chance. Coming up with a vaccine is not as easy as you think.”

“You've got to hope.”

While I was talking to Gene, I felt like a broken record. I had given the same advice to Tina.

When I got off the phone with Gene, I made dinner, and while I was cooking, I thought about Gene and Tina. I wondered if they were going to spiral into a deep depression. They both felt alone while we were in isolation. There had to be a way to keep them afloat.

The next day, while I was doing some paperwork, I had the news on. I was using the TV as noise, but something caught my attention. I turned up the volume as I listened to the news segment.

Many people are already experiencing depression, knowing we are at the beginning of another pandemic. During the last pandemic, research showed a higher rate of suicide. When people were given pets, there were positive outcomes. The depression rates went down.

I heard enough and turned off the TV. I surfed the internet looking for animal shelters. I found one a mile from my house. Since it was so close, I thought I would give them a call.

"Hello, this is Frontline Animal Shelter. May I help you?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you have any cats available for adoption?"

"Why, we certainly do. We have some kittens that need a good home."

"What kind of cats are they?" I asked.

If you can give me your email address, I can send you pictures of them," the woman replied.

"That would be wonderful," I said.

I gave the woman my email address, and before I hung up, she had sent me the pictures. After getting off the phone, I booted up the computer and looked at the pictures.

The kittens were adorable, but two of the six caught my eye. One of them was a white kitten, and it had one green eye and the other was blue. I thought the kitten had character and would be the perfect cat for Tina. She likes unusual things.

The other cat was a Tuxedo, and in the description of the kitten, it said the kitten was deaf. Gene has a nephew who is hearing impaired and adores the boy. I thought I would get that cat for Gene.

After choosing the two kittens, I called the shelter back, told the woman the two cats I wanted, and paid for them. The woman said she would deliver them to my doorstep later that afternoon.

After the task was done, I had a meeting on the internet for work. I sat and listened to people complain about the pandemic for an hour before I finally had enough. I finally left the meeting and finished my work.

About an hour after the meeting, I turned on the radio and did some housecleaning. The commercials were a reminder of how we were in a pandemic. The announcer reminded people of the importance of clean hands and wearing masks. I thought, no wonder people were depressed, the media was constantly reminding people of the pandemic.

I turned off the radio because I was getting tired of the media. After I turned off the radio, there was a knock at the door. When I opened the door, there were two boxes with air holes. I knew that the boxes had kittens in them. The meowing confirmed my suspicions.

After getting the cats in the house, I took them out of the box. When I took them out, it dawned on me that I had no litter or food. I got on the internet and ordered the cat supplies.

While waiting for the supplies to be delivered, I played with the kittens and thoroughly enjoyed it. The kittens loved playing with strings and balls. After playing with the kittens, I needed a kitten too, but I thought I would share Gene's if we ever got married.

The cat supplies were delivered, and I decided to deliver the cats to Gene's doorstep first. Then, I would go to Tina's house. I packed the cats' supplies in the car before I put the cats back into the boxes. Once the cats were contained, I carried the boxes to the car.

Gene lived two miles from my house. The two miles felt like it went on forever with two meowing cats in the backseat. One cat would start meowing, and the other followed. I knew the Tuxedo cat was leading the choir; he didn't quit after telling the cats to quiet down.

When I got to Gene's house, I could see that his TV was on through the window. I took the Tuxedo cat and the supplies for it and put it on the front porch. After putting the cat and the supplies down, I rang the doorbell,

I ran to the car after I rang the doorbell to see his reaction when he discovered the cat. When he opened the door, he saw the box and opened it. When he saw the cat, his jaws dropped, and his eyes widened. He looked across the street where I was parked and blew me a kiss.

From Gene's house, I drove another short distance to Tina's house. With the Tuxedo cat at Gene's, Tina's cat was quiet, which was a relief. When I got to Tina's house, she was sitting on the porch bundled up in her coat and hat.

I got out of the car and yelled, "I have a present for you!"

"What is it?" Tina yelled back.

"When I get in the car, come and see."

I put the cat and the supplies in the driveway before I got back into the car. When I got into the car, Tina walked to the driveway with an inquisitive look on her face.

When Tina opened the box and saw the cat, she acted as if she had just won the lottery and started to kiss the cat and laugh. She yelled a big thank you before she went into the house with her new friend.

As I drove home, I knew that I didn't cure the pandemic or solve the world's problems, but I put a smile on two people's faces. It made me happy knowing that two people close to my heart were no longer totally alone.

Gene named the Tuxedo cat, Sylvester, and he is vocal but kind. I got to know him eight months later, after Gene and I were vaccinated and could hang out together again. Sylvester likes to sit between Gene and me to make sure he gets paid attention to. Being deaf doesn't seem to bother him since he doesn't know anything else.

Tina named her cat Two-Eyes. Two-Eyes is also a sweet cat. He likes to sit on people's laps and hang out with people. His favorite toys are still string and wads of paper.

***

It may be April 31st, and Gene and I aren't married, but we have hope. We are still under quarantine, but scientists are on the verge of a discovery that may end Virus 89. Perhaps things will be like the last virus and be treated like the flu, but until then, I get to see Gene, Tina, Two-Eyes, and Sylvester on video.

. Gene and I may postpone the wedding for another year, but if we truly love each other, love will see us through the pandemic. We have already decided to have Sylvester, Two-Eyes, and Tina at the wedding. Hopefully, there will be no CATastrophe.