Urban Fur: Special Cooper Park Houses Edition

John Lennon was really onto something when he said:

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.

Today I had a plan: searching for stolen manholes— and find them I did (For example, the above specimen which can be found at Kingsland and Norman Avenue. Please take a moment, gentle readers, to truly appreciate this person’s bravery— or stupidity. Take your pick.). It is also why I currently have a kitten in my bathtub. You read me correctly: a kitten. In my bathtub.

This kitten. But let’s get back to manholes for a moment.

I found the odd one here (224 Monitor Street) and there…

(Russell Street across from McGolrick Park) but I was nonplussed. Thus, I decided to expand my search southward.

And in so doing I discovered this fire hydrant in front of 450 Morgan Avenue which has been divested of its caps and a missing cover to boot! That’s three thefts for the price of one!

It was upon noticing this filming notice (for “Marcher”, whatever that is) gracing the eastern perimeter of the Cooper Park Houses I decided to take a detour… and discovered this little lass.

More accurately: I made the acquaintance of the young lady who discovered her. I asked what gives and she, with grandmother and younger sister by her side, explained to me that this kitten simply walked up to her. I told her that this was one very smart kitten and inquired as to whether or not she was going to keep her. She enthusiastically said “Yes”. Her grandmother (who was receiving a translation of this discussion from a friend) begged to differ. I then suggested:

I can probably get her placed at a rescue organization where she will be adopted to a good home.

To wit this kitten’s new friend asked:

She won’t be adopted to someone who will expect her to hunt and kill rats, will she?

Absolutely not.

I assured her and parsed through my “smartphone” for someone to call. After coming to the conclusion I had, in fact, been outsmarted by said device, I checked my email. There I found an email from Jay Lombard (of Dog Habitat) featuring (what else?) a plundered manhole. I emailed him back as follows:

Can you call me? STAT.

And call he did. I explained to him that I had a very special “thank you gift” for his manhole: a kitten. I inquired if, perchance, Dog Habitat could take her in. He agreed to take her. I relayed this news to her good Samaritan. This made her very happy. She asked me to take a few photos of her soon-to-be former feline friend. I gladly obliged and proceeded to walk down Maspeth Avenue with a kitten firmly attached to my chest.

ASIDE: One of the perks of walking around north Brooklyn as much as I do is I have a pretty extensive knowledge of the street scape and the businesses contained therein. In this case, I knew there was a pet grooming establishment nearby: Lucy’s Lucky Dog. I headed to 1 Maspeth Avenue without delay.

Suffice it to say I did not need to explain why I was there. A carrier was purchased and my new friend was quickly placed therein. She demonstrated her gratitude for these new accommodations by christening it with a fresh (and rather stinky) salvo of vomit.

Perhaps imitation Burberry is not this little one’s style? Only she knows for certain.

In any case, I quickly ascertained she rather liked accompanying me on my walk so I decided to continue my trek.

Eventually, having had enough “sight seeing”, she fell into a deep sleep.

One which— more or less— lasted the entire subway ride back to her temporary home.

Which is, of course, Chez Shitty’s bathtub.

I imagine there may be someone among you, dear readers, who is interested in giving this lass a home. Well, later this evening she will call Dog Habitat Jay’s home her new digs. I will be contacting our local veterinarian and arrange for a check-up and we’ll go from there. In closing, however, I will note that she has a(n albeit) temporary name: Kayleigh. This is the name of her founder who, it should be noted, took great pains to clarify her name spelled specially: K-A-Y-L-E-I-G-H.

Why not?

I say. A remarkable young lady should have a moniker to match!

This post is for you.