Monday night was cold and dismal and I took a break from staring at the keyboard in a vain attempt to fill this space. The lights on Main Street were glowing in the mist and there wasn’t a person or car in sight. For some reason, perhaps the weather, I thought about a book I read years ago. It was about mysterious cat mutilations that have occurred through the years with frequency in a few Midwestern states. There was an outbreak in Missouri during the mid 1970’s, including some down in Dallas County. One theory advanced in the book was the mutilations were the work of practitioners of black magic as part of a ritual. One man familiar with a suspected cult was quoted as saying, “It’s just a matter of time until they start attacking human beings.” Clinton Democrat Staffer Kim Hanson says she remembers the book, in fact she read it when she lived in Connecticut. Kim said they had a similar problem and most folks thought it was some kind of off-beat religious ceremony. Maybe it was a black mass by devil worshipers involving cats. Kim summed it up, “I’ve lived long enough to know that some of the strangest things often have a logical explanation. Most of the time it’s best not to read too much into things.” I agree with Kim Hanson.
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What else? Deer Season concluded last week. I remember when Drake Harbor was the scene of the check-in station. Trucks would be backed up as far as Casey’s, loaded down with venison. I’ve only been deer hunting once and that was way back in 1987. Somehow I ended firing a fatal shot. The deer was old, tough and extremely difficult to get rid of. I took several hunks of it over to the neighbors and they politely declined seconds. It could have had something to do with our family dog Bozo. He roamed Lay Avenue that season with a bloody deer leg hanging out of his mouth.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS! Archeologists in England found a cache of mint condition silver coins from the 11th century. The Anglo-Saxon doubloons were dug up on the Suffolk coast. The coins date from 1036 and 1044 during King Edward the Confessor’s turbulent reign. Edward was eventually exiled, but not before he confiscated the properties of all those who defied him. Perhaps the person who buried the coins was concerned about the political situation and social instability. Wonder what future archeologists will dig up from our time? How do you dig up a digital world?
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Well, I’ve covered dead cats, dead deer and old coins. Probably best to quit while I’m ahead. Listen Old Buddy, peace to your spirit.
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'Til Next Week:
J.M.W.
