While we lived in Lake Tapps, I had an experience that left me with a long-lasting disdain for cats! I’ll explain. We had a garage that was attached to the main house. Opposite the main house and attached to the garage was a shed (to the right of the car in the picture). There my father kept all his tools our outdoor equipment and any other paraphernalia we could not keep in the house. Additionally, following several attempts to get us boys to return tools to the shed (rather than leaving them on the grass to rust); he chose to lock the shed and render it unavailable to us boys if he were not home. Hence, access to outdoor equipment and tools was curtailed to Dad’s presence. Though extreme; I suppose it was warranted when he found multiple tools rusting in the grass due to dew and rain corrosion – which was constant and prevalent. Separating the garage from the shed was a plywood wall that extended from the cement floor to about 4 feet below the pinnacle of the roof. Hence, there existed an opening about 8 feet up open between the shed and the garage. While the wall certainly kept ‘ground dwellers’ from access; it did not anyone that could scale that wall. By squeezing between the bare studs from the wall to the ceiling; a person could gain access to the shed. Unlocking the door from inside; they’d be able to then leave with the needed item and lock the door behind them. Hence, an unsuspecting Dad would be alleviated worry when the interloper returned it unnoticed.

I’d employed such access multiple times before and become somewhat adept at performing the procedure to obtain access to shed contents. The procedure entailed wrapping my hands over a rafter that ran across the garage perpendicular to the shed. By strategically holding onto the rafter (the height of the wall); I’d then be able to ‘walk’ up the plywood garage wall and slip my legs (to my knees) through the studs.  Once I’d achieved this; I’d ‘walk’ my hands one by one toward the wall (all the while maintaining my grip); and grasping the studs, I’d lift my torso atop the wall. All I had to do then was to scale down the shed side of the wall and I was in the shed. I’d then obtain my desired item and exit through the door – locking it behind me.

On the particular day in question; I’d gone to the empty garage to perform my procedure. Tammy (a young girl about 11) watched just outside the garage door. I suppose she was interested to see how her brother accomplished his nefarious access. About 3 feet from the wall; I grasped the rafter above me and ‘walked’ the wall. Having slipped my legs through the studs I hung there for a moment to begin to ‘wrestle’ my torso atop the wall. At that moment I saw something (I quickly thought was a rat or something) scramble across the rafter I was holding onto. Startled, I reflexively jerked my hands free of the rafter to avoid the animal that had just run across them. As I now fell (swinging by my legs) to meet the wall with my back and head; I instantly recognized that what I’d thought was a rat was (actually) our cat escaping a sleeping place in the shed. As I swung to greet the plywood wall; I quickly thought to myself (knowing I was in trouble): “I’m gonna kill that cat! Moments later I slammed against the wall; my head no doubt hitting the plywood. Dazed by the collision; I now was insufficiently cognizant enough to preserve myself hanging by my bent legs and let go. At this time, I was about 3 feet above the cement floor and incapable of rationally maintaining a grip on my circumstance. Thus, I fell directly onto my head and crumpled the against the garage wall.

Inasmuch as I’d knocked myself out; I can only accept Tammy’s witness of the following. Upon witnessing my fall; Tammy’s first reaction was to see the humor of the situation. So, she began to giggle and laugh. Realizing I was not getting up; Tammy then rushed into the house and exclaimed: “Ray fell; Ray fell”. Mom, busy at the kitchen sink; thought to herself: “Well, he’ll get up.” Upon seeing Tammy’s face, she then rushed to the cement step outside the front door. About this time, I was beginning to ‘come to’ and could only see two people who focused into my mother and sister. They were afar off down a long faint tunnel and Mom was say: “Ray?! What have you done?” With that I slowly began to regain control of my faculties and no long stumbled (stooped over) toward them. They helped me inside where I sat regaining my cognizance. Feeling atop my head I recognized a goose egg about an inch tall indicating I’d hit pretty hard. (Luckily, inasmuch as it was my head; no recognizable damage was evident.)

It was about this time that I remembered the cat and vowed that I no longer liked nor tolerated cats! Though my mom attempted to persuade me otherwise; I’d determined to go fishing up at Lake Tapps. So, following a 30-minute respite, I re-performed my access and left with my fishing pole in hand.

I didn’t catch a thing! But I still hate cats!