Ugly

Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was.
Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world:
fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love.

The combination of these things combined with a life spent
outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye,
and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also
missing his ear on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly
broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look
like he was always turning the corner.

His tail has long age been lost, leaving only the smallest stub,
which he would constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been
a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his
head, neck, and even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time
someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction.
"That's one UGLY cat!!"

All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw
rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in
their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave.
Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on
him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit.
If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in
forgiveness.

Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing
frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If ever someone picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on
your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.

One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor’s huskies. They
did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment
I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time
I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost
at an end.

Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted
grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur
that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him
home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling.
I must be hurting him terribly I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging,
sucking sensation on my ear.

Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying
to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the
palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye
towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the
greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only for a little
affection, perhaps some compassion.

At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving
creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or
even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just
looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.

Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and
held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred,
deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have
true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me
more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk
show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply.

To give my total to those I cared for. Many people want to be
richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always
try to be Ugly.

- Unknown