Rejection on a Monday...the Worst

We all have experienced rejection in our lives.  It seemed to have much more importance to me earlier in life and although it can still hurt, the pain doesn't quite cut through me like it once did.  As an adult we can face rejection and while it still isn't fun and if it hits in a particularly insecure place, you have to make the decision whether you'll be immobilized by it or if in fact you move on because that is what healthy people do.  You have that ubiquitous conversation with your 15 year old self that sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt.  Hey, 15 year old Nancy, words can and do hurt and at least words recognize you are present because 15 year old Nancy when someone denies your existence even when you're standing next to them, in that great and grand picture, it really doesn't matter.  Well, that is usually true until today.  Let me tell you my story, my story of the greatest rejection of all that can only happen on a Monday.

My story begins innocently enough on Friday.  Both Roy and I forgot about a 4:30 appointment.  Because Roy had a particularly stressful day he decided to go trek riding Friday afternoon and I highly encouraged him to do so.  While going through some paperwork my calendar reminder notified me we had ten minutes to make the appointment.  Desperately I tried getting a hold of Roy who by now is off on the nature trails of Rancho De Five.  When he finally checked his phone he realized the missed appointment and hurried home.  He came in and went straight to the phone to apologize and see if there was any chance at all to go ahead and go there, even if late.  No such luck and as he tried to find another time that is when I volunteered.  I volunteered to take Buddy to her mani/pedi appointment on Monday. 

Ever since we moved out to the prairie, Roy has been the one to take Buddy for her four week nail trimming.  He had taken over that job because I was dealing with heart issues and had a hard recovery after we moved out here.  Even when I began to feel better he still took Buddy.  It is an ordeal to not tip off Buddy.  You wait until she is sound asleep to move her kennel traveler into position.  If she hears just one bit of kennel sound, she goes into the witness protection program and goes into hiding.  We have become stealth practitioners of the snatch and grab.  If you don't position her correctly over the top opening she puts up quite a struggle to get her in.  Then you hear the sad sound of meows.  Meowing is the cat's language to humans, not to other cats.  Today, I had to do these maneuvers alone.  I couldn't show any deviation of the usual routine to get Buddy alerted to the coming grooming session.  Buddy was out like a light on our bed and she was still half asleep when I put her into her kitty carry all for the quick trip out of town to Fulsher.  Kitty carry all, from the deep recesses of my mind, came from a Brady Bunch episode...I think.  Anyway, we got to the Vet office.  Everyone was kind of shocked that it wasn't Roy who brought in Buddy.  We were taken to a "patient" room and we waited for the Dr.  Buddy wasn't especially loud in her dissatisfaction with the situation but she was letting me know she wasn't happy.  Although we were in a waiting room with the door closed, another person came in, with a cat.  This cat was loud, unhappy, and throwing a wall-eyed fit.  (what does that mean?)  Buddy sat very still and listened.  She was big eyed looking through the little openings in her kitty carry all.  She looked at me and softly meowed.  Of course I took the opportunity to praise her for not making a lot of noise and for not being like that other big cat in the outer office.  Yea, like a cat ever really listens to that, they already know it.  About that time the Dr and the cat whisperer came in.  Roy tells me there are two cat whisperers on staff that are really good with Buddy.  Buddy did well, oh she wasn't happy and she took a swipe or two at the Dr and missed. This is the first time I have ever seen Buddy get her nails trimmed because every other Vet we took her to, took her in the back to give shots or trim nails.  Compassionate or should that be catpassionate as I am, I came over to comfort Buddy during her spa time. The Dr warned me not to get close to her head cause she would bite me.  Me?  The one she loves? The one whose arm she falls asleep on every night?  The one who feeds her?  The one who feeds the birds for her so that she has cat TV all day?  Uh, yes, come to think of it, she would.  She's been known to attack my head in the middle of the night and I am kind of on the watch out for an attack tonight.   Buddy was quiet on the ride home and she didn't stick around when I let her out of kitty carry all once we were home.  She'll have nothing to do with me right now.  Even a new empty box won't coax her off the couch.  When I attempt to sit beside her, she leaves.  I know she'll get over it, but dang it hurts.  I want her to be mad at Roy and a dime will get you a donut, well back in 1952, but she will run and meet him at the door just like she used to for me until I took her for her spa retreat today.  I can take it, I'm an adult....nooooo, it hurts.  I feel like some lyrics from the rock group Nazareth would best express my feelings right now about Buddy rejection:

 

Love hurts, love scars Love wounds, and marks

Any heart, not tough Or strong enough
To take a lot of pain  Take a lot of pain

Love is like a cloud

Holds a lot of rain
Love hurtsLove hurts

Wow, that felt all Mary Katherine Gallagher-ish....  Anyway, Roy is walking through the door and my heart will break!   Good news, she did the fake end around, she acted like she was running to greet Roy and she ignored him and came to where I am sitting.  Yes!!!

 

 

Oh, the big cat in the waitingroom was still around when we came out the door.  My goodness, that big ol cat was nothing more than a tiny, tiny kitten, an orange tabby kitten.  Who knew such big meowing could come out of such a little thing.