We have a cat named Thelma Lou.  We got her and her sister at the same time.  In an homage to Andy Griffith, they were named after Barney Fife’s two girlfriends, Thelma Lou and Juanita.

A couple of years ago, while we were doing a lot of remodeling on our house, I came outside one morning and found Thelma Lou in the trash where all the construction workers left their daily garbage.

Having a hard time seeing her?  She is a wily thing–she hunts everything so camouflage is her middle name (after Lou).  See if this helps.

Thelma Lou Curled Up in the Trash

I thought of this picture today because I felt like Thelma Lou.  Because it felt like everyone was just dumping their garbage on me.  Here I am, minding my own business, when this bag of garbage came raining down.  Oops, here came a cup full of someone’s crap.  And, watch your head, here comes someone’s empty container of refuse.

“Hey, Jackasses!  Take care of your own trash!”

 

And then,in a moment of brutal honesty, I have to do a little self-evaluation…there is no cage on top of me, nothing to stop me from crawling out from these burdens.  Like Thelma Lou, who chose this spot, I let myself get buried with other people’s rubbish.  I, however, am not as comfortable curled up next to an empty McDonald’s bag.  I’m outta here; the cat can take care of herself.