Accountability

Still tired, planning to stay in all day but craving kale, I dragged myself to the market.

While in the checkout lane, I overheard a conversation between the customer checking out and the cashier.

The two women appeared to know each other well ... well enough for the cashier to engage the customer in talking about each other’s family, after which the cashier asked “Did you get vaccinated yet?”

Customer replied, “No. I don’t believe in that. Besides, the people who got vaccinated are still getting sick”

The cashier indicated she was in agreement.

I myself am STILL waiting for more data on the long-term effects, but the fact the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has once again been given the green light ─ despite the risk of blood clots, isn’t filling me with confidence. The whole thing is beginning to feel more and more like a money grab. What comedienne Chris Rock was alluding to when he said, “Ain't no money in the cure, the money's in the medicine”.

Doesn’t mean I’m against it. Just means I’ll keep waiting, watching.

Returning from the market, I detoured by the mail box.

Two residents were already in the cage.

Seeing them, I squeezed into a corner outside the cage, and waited for them to exit.

One was a new to me guy, Black, kinda cute. Short, but cute.

We greeted each other and he moved on.

While waiting for the other resident to exit, I looked over and, off in the distance, saw what looked to be a cat caught in that trap.

Before I could relocate myself to a safe distance away from where the other resident would exit, for a closer look, the other resident ─ an older female, also new to me, came out saying that, inasmuch as her mailbox is in the area that had been vandalized a few weeks ago, and the vandalized area has not yet been repaired, “I guess I have to go to the post office to get my mail”.

It’s taking management a long time to get this fixed ─ no surprise there. I’m very lucky, my box is on the opposite side of the cage ... untouched.

At any rate, as the resident walked away, leaving the whole area to myself, I moved to where I could get a closer look at the cat trap.

Sure enough, it's a cat.

It seemed to be looking straight at me, sad eyes pleading for help I could not give, but with me hoping management realized sooner rather than later that she/he is in the trap and get on with whatever it is they’re going to do, so she/he won’t suffer long in such a confined space.

It made me think about what would happen on the weekend, if a cat is caught.

We have management on the premises, but they are uncaring, uninvolved, and have no problem telling residents, “I’m off the clock”, when approached with a situation after 4:00.

If, in their weekend comings and goings, they saw a cat in a trap, they’d keep on stepping.

So, asking myself what I’d do if I saw a cat in the trap on the weekend or after hours, I decided I’d not waste my time with management, I’d get ‘em in trouble by calling the SPCA.

With that in mind ... knowing management was off the clock at 4:00 today, I went down at 5:00 ─ right after Judge Judy, to make sure the cat had not been left to suffer all night.

Would you believe the cat was STILL in the trap.

That’s unconscionable!

I should have gone immediately back to my unit and called the SPCA but, seeing the light still on in Community Manager’s office, I knocked on the outer door.

I saw him get up and turn off the light.

ROFLMAO!

I’m not so easily dismissed.

I knew where he parked his car.

So, holding him accountable for what I perceived as cruelty to an animal, I walked around to the front, positioned myself to where I could see him exit the door and, as he headed for his car, I yelled out, “Hey, J___. There’s a cat in the cat trap!”

“It’s okay, there’s food and water in it”, said he.

“That cat has been there since 11:00. Are you saying you’re just going to leave it out there to suffer overnight?”

Had he replied, “yes”, I most definitely would have called the SPCA.

Lucky for him, he said, “I didn’t know that. I’ll take it inside. It’ll still be in the cage, but inside the office.”

I watched as he turned around, unlocked the front door, reentered. Then I went back to where the cat was and waited ─ just to make sure he did what he said he was going to do.

I tried to take video, but I screwed up and video didn’t capture.

He saw me videotaping him, but doesn’t know it didn’t capture, which might work to my advantage and scare him into making sure traps are checked before staff leaves for the day from now on.

At any rate, as he unlocked the pool area, entered and picked up the cage, the cat began to struggle against the trap.

“Oh, he’s a mean one”, said Community Manager.

“He’s only mean because he’s been in there so long”, said I and asked, “What do you do with the cats after you capture them?”

“We take them to the animal shelter”.

“You physically drive them to the shelter?"

“Yes”, said he.

I don’t believe him. They probably just drop them off in another location.

At any rate, I’m not entirely happy with that cat still being in the trap overnight, and for many more hours tomorrow until staff returns and get around to doing whatever it is they do, but it is what it is.

A few days ago, I overheard two residents discussing the cat referred to as Mama, wondering where she was.

I guess management got her ... she’s been caught.

Management is putting all this effort in ridding the complex of cats no one seemed to mind being here. Too bad management didn’t put this much effort into catching whoever it was breaking into mail boxes.

As for that kale ... I may not be an accomplished cook, but I excel at kale salad.