So there I was, doing my work thing this morning and who do I see slinking his way along the east yard wall?

The cat.

Yep, that cat.

And what did the cat have as an added cat feature? Why, a shiny gold name tag hanging around his furry cat neck! Like some souvenir he might have brought back from a month-long stay in Cabo San Lucas, Tahiti, or the Virgin Islands. I mean, dude looked tanned, rested, and ready to once again raise havoc on the bird and lizard population of the neighborhood. Completely at ease, not a care in the world.

“You sonofabitch!”, I yell, and the cat looks in the direction of my window. He can’t see me, but he could sure hear me.

This afternoon I walk to the mailbox and sure enough, the “MISSING CAT!” poster has been taken down.

The prodigal cat has returned.

I see my neighbor John on the way back to the house and mention all this to him. He says he noticed the other day a brand-new pile in his front yard where the cat used to do his business.

“Doug”, he says, “I thought I was dreaming. But I guess he’s back. That sonofabitch. There is one good thing, tho”, says John with a twinkle in his eye.

“What’s that?”

“That shiny new ID tag makes a damned fine target for someone to shoot at.”