And then a cat got on the bus…

The bus was oddly empty for the 7:05 C line into downtown Denver on a Tuesday morning. As we pulled up to the stop at Bradford street, three passengers got on at the middle door. As the driver waited for a last minute passenger to run aboard, someone said “Oh, that cat is going to get on the bus.”

When I looked to the middle door, a large fluffy black cat had climbed up onto the bus and was looking around…seemingly for a seat.

Over the loud speaker the driver said “Go home kitty. You can’t ride the bus today.”

As he reopened the doors, the cat turned and stepped back off the bus in a way that said “I’ll leave but you can’t rush me.”

The big fluffy kitty, then sat down on its haunches and looked down the street with a look of “I’ll catch the next one.”

The driver said that the cat often tries to get on the bus at that stop. And that at least once he’s had to bring him round trip back to the stop to make sure he gets home. “He’s a bus cat I guess?” the driver said with a shrug, and we all went back to our phones, books, or whatever was buzzing in our earbuds.

As I walked to my destination, I couldn’t shake the image of that cat getting on the bus. My cats run upstairs to get under the bed when someone knocks on the door and they aren’t even actually afraid. Even I, with all my confidence and sassyness, look twice to make sure I’m getting on the right bus and then check again on the marquee inside the bus just in case.

But that cat, it was just going to go for a ride on the bus today as though it was nobody’s business and it had places to be.

The cat reminded me that:

  • You won’t get to go on the adventure if you don’t take the first step
  • If you need to get somewhere, you should find the tools and go
  • If you want something, never be afraid to just jump in and see what happens

Today I’m going to ask for what I need at work. I’m going to say yes. I’m going to not let fear make the decisions. I’m going to see if those in relationship with me are willing to meet me where I am. And if they aren’t, I’m going to respond with grace and love, but I won’t regret asking.

Because I’ll be damned if a neighborhood cat is going to be braver than I am.

Well…the cat is still probably a bigger bad ass than anyone I know…so never mind. 🙂

 

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