Dorothea Hall Mysteries

Bad Luck

"It's a good thing she isn't a black cat," Freddy said.

She had found an old pillow for the kitten to sleep in and we were both watching her sleep by the fire. We dried its fur with a towel and gave it some fish. She was fortunately old enough to eat solid food. I even combed her fur with an old pocket comb. She was very friendly and I wondered if someone was missing the kitten, but she'd been in the alley behind a business, not a house and I doubted any of the businesses there were the type to keep a cat.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Most of the cats at Mrs. Jones' bakery, were black cats. She rescued them from people in the neighborhood who thought black cats are unlucky. One day the tobacconist was trying to drown three black kittens in the river, but we gave him a pound to let us take them."

"That's horrible."

I had heard some of the superstitions about black cats, but I'd never thought people believed in them. The most foolish one was that a black cat crossing your path was bad luck. I supposed some ignorant folks thought that every time a black cat went past someone, and that person got ill, it was the cat's fault. Then there was the idea that if it crossed your path and you weren't harmed, you were protected by the devil. A literal "damned if you do, damned if you don't." It made me want to do as Mrs. Jones did and adopt a black kitten as well.

"I think she might need a companion. We should ask Mrs. Jones to let us know if another black kitten comes along," I said.

Freddy nodded. "It could be dangerous, if she knows we're up for taking care of black cats, we might end up with twenty or more."

"I think two is enough, but we do know some young ladies who might be interested in adopting cats."

"You mean the actresses. It wouldn't hurt to ask. Mrs. Jones does get people with all kinds of unwanted cats coming to her and she is sad she can't take care of them all."

I might have to add "Pet Adoption Agent" to my business card, if I ever made one, but it felt good. This was another way to help those who needed me. The cats who needed homes and the people who needed a companion.