Kitten-napped

Rich & Anne have a kitten that I've fallen in love with while staying here. Her name is Bandit and she is quite a bundle of energy and curiosity. The other day she really showed that she's a kitten after my own heart...

Allison and I woke up one morning and couldn't find Bandit anywhere. Rich had taken the car to go visit someone and Anne was gone at the church. We searched everywhere inside and outside in the enclosed courtyard.

When Anne came home a few hours later, we mentioned that we hadn't seen Bandit all morning. She immediately became worried because Bandit had showed a curiosity for the car and liked to climb up under the engine. She called Rich to let him know and tell him to check along the road on the way back. He searched all the way home for a flattened kitty or one hiding in the bushes.

Finally he got back to the gate and told his guard to be on the lookout. A lady standing nearby called out, "Oh, the cat is already found."

Apparently Bandit had climbed up under the car, rode out to the gate, jumped down outside and began exploring. A Tchadian woman caught her and took her home to her hut.

Rich finally convinced the woman at the gate to show him which home. Nobody was around, but he saw a bucket overturned, and soon Bandit was found, crouched underneath. Her collar was gone, showing that the woman had hoped to keep her, but now she is home, none worse for the wear except for a hoarse voice from crying for hours and a big appetite. A few days later, someone dropped off her collar...it's amazing how everyone knows everyone else's business here. You can't do anything without somebody seeing you.

I have ambitions for Bandit becoming a great adventurer...

Picture: Bandit and I