Foley's Tales From Rainbow Bridge: Tom Cat at the Power of Forgiveness

 

Black Bart's day of reckoning had arrived.

When he was on the mortal side, he was a kitty with an attitude. He was aggressive with other cats and often attacked. Black Cat never let on that he was jealous. He didn’t get any love from his family, and seeing a well-loved feline like Tom Cat enraged him. 

One day when Tom Cat was gently playing in his yard, Black Bart stalked him, and when Tom let his guard down, Black Bart attacked. Tom tried to fight back, but Black Bart was a skilled brawler. Tom Cat got away, leaving his home and making him susceptible to nature, some of which only saw him as a cog in the food chain.

After a few days and several years added to Tom’s parents' lives, he returned home, looking like an inexperienced cat does when they are not protected from the elements. It was nothing a little parental love wouldn’t cure.

Black Bart stopped stalking Tom, and soon he was a bitter memory. When Bart went to the Bridge, he was given full privileges with the understanding that when Tom and if he pressed charges against his assailant, Tom could be looking at a sentence as his minion.

Sadly, this week, Tom left his family for the Bridge, giving every drop of his devotion and love to his parents. He was met by Mollie, the dog who passed 11 years ago and had a space reserved for Tom in their sunroom. 

Before he went there, Mollie brought Tom into my courtroom, where a nervous Black Bart awaited his fate. I told Tom that Black Bart he could now get revenge for the crime perpetuated upon him by Bart.

First, I let Bart plead his case, He told Tom Cat about his unhappy upbringing, lack of love, and jealousy, then reported that he was a changed cat since arriving at the Bridge, and he was now working daily to change his parents’ cold hearts. He was progressing;, but his parents would return to their cruel ways if he were made a minion. 

It didn’t take Mr. Tom Cat any time to decide. He stood, walked over to Black Bart, and hugged him, forgiving his former attacker. Tom asked Bart if he wanted to come to Mollie’s for supper, and Black Bart happily agreed. 

Even before coming to the Bridge, Tom Cat was a kind, forgiving soul, and being at the Bridge made it more so.

The Bridge is where our best qualities are magnified, making Tom Cat darn near perfect.