Real Men Kill Coyotes
My bathroom was painted by the last tenant a garish, lurid, teal kind-of-color. Not so bad, you might think. As the light reflects, though, from the wall color onto your face as you look in the mirror, and you are constantly wondering, "did I die last night or catch the plague or something?", it becomes time for a change. I painted my living room a purple called "Plum Fairy" (begin jokes now), and my bedroom a blue color called "Ceremony". The zombie-making teal of the bathroom has been bugging me, and yesterday I painted it dark purple.
Around 12:30am this morning, my cats both freaked out and ran to the window, making a weird low growling noise. Strange how when you live with animals, and think you have heard the gamut of creature noises they make, and then all of a sudden, they bust out with a whole new one you've never heard before. Looked out the window and saw a small coyote loping down the long courtyard walk away from my building toward the street. Sadly, it had just killed my downstairs neighbor's cat. When I got downstairs, the black cat had just enough life to lift its little paw up one time ...then nothing. Coyote went right for its neck. I had scared it away before it could do any more damage. Really sad scene. Bagged up the cat, put it in a cardboard box, and waited for my neighbors to come home. They did, and I hit them with the bad news. I have had to be on the receiving end of news like this more then a few times. Odd that with all the cats I've had, and with all of the deaths, I never was the one to find them. Roommates, family members, band mates, I had always been spared the sight. Until last night.
One of the cats I used to have named "Ricehead" (don't ask), was found by my former band mates before a rehearsal, and I had him cremated and sealed in a little grey stone box with a gargoyle crouched on top. I had misplaced it until I moved into this new place.
So now my little utopian "Cat Disneyland" has been tainted and I have to keep my little guys in at night... fuck you, coyotes.
Here's some recent web finds to lighten up the mood:
Google Earth:
Amazing 3D fly around map of the planet. You have to try this. PC only.
Bootleg Browser:
Link list of live show sites.
Afiches:
Spanish adult movie posters from the 70's.
Chiho Aoshima:
Japanese artist's installation piece. Wonderful.
Phoenix Lights:
Unexplained lights in the sky, sighted in 1997.
Cat High Speed Pix:
You get the idea.
Comments
"Ceremony" reminds me of Joy Division, which is not a bad thing for the bedroom in my book. Suppose it depends on your take of things.
The good news of your neighbors cat is that the end came quick. A cat I had several years ago was not as fortunate. I will not go into detail for the sake of other pet owners.
Sounds like the new digs have grown onto you. Has it spurred good creative moments yet?
Posted by: Mike C. | August 7, 2005 04:34 PM
Hey Steve - I have a very similar story except it wasn't with a coyote (as we don't have them in Australia) but just with a domestic dog. It was my first cat an i was like 10 at the time and ever since have not owned a cat.
Posted by: Simon | August 7, 2005 05:43 PM
The poor cat. I found one in the neighborhood one time that was hurt so bad. I don't know if another animal did it or mean people. I kept mine inside so I didn't worry about them.
Sorry you had to endure that!
Posted by: Stardreme | August 7, 2005 05:58 PM
Sorry to hear about the cat situation.
Gosh, I don't know what I'd do without my animals. They are true buddies, that's for sure.
purple called "Plum Fairy" (begin jokes now), and my bedroom a blue color called "Ceremony".
Those colors sound rather relaxing-
I've thought about doing my bedroom in a Burgundy color-But yet, I'm afraid it would make the room look smaller than it is.
But I can see myself chillin' in a burgundy room alot better than an off white.
Posted by: Diane/FRI13th | August 7, 2005 08:00 PM
:(
Where you get that awesome cat picture??
Posted by: wendybird | August 7, 2005 09:05 PM
Ahhh, Copper Blue. Awesome album man. I could listen to that and Mould's "workbook" album on repeat forever. Hey, Steve he's gonna be here Oct 15th at the El Rey... you wanna go?
(that is, if I manage to scrounge the money...)
Posted by: Rantz | August 7, 2005 11:45 PM
I just moved to laguna beach and as a result of living on coyote turf I lost one of my cat's (JUDA).I'm fully bummed but, I did'nt see it happen thank god!So now it's just me and my other cat(CHEEPI CHUPI).YES coyotee's please don't my kitty
Posted by: alex barreto | August 8, 2005 02:11 AM
Wow...the food chain is always rattling. My girlfiend's folks' neighborhood in SoCal has to keep their dogs in so mountain lions don't run off with them! See...chalk a couple up for cats. :)
This'll renew everyone's cat fancy:
Kitten War: May The Cutest Kitten Wins! [Warning: addictive]
Posted by: Craig | August 8, 2005 09:43 AM
duh! (slaps forehead) "Cat High Speed Pix:
You get the idea."
Posted by: wendybird | August 8, 2005 05:09 PM
Real sad sitch Steve. That has to be tough, telling the neighbors, let alone seeing it all right after it happened. I keep Buddy kitten here in the house. Don't let him out because I'm always worried something like that might happen. An old friend's mother lost her dog a year or so ago when it was attacked at their place in Beverly Hills, right in the back yard. Bad news.
Posted by: Jonathan | August 8, 2005 07:48 PM
Ha Steve,
So I can't seem to concentrate on anything I need to do so I was surfing through your links and found this.
Too funny!
http://photos23.flickr.com/32478186_18869a2ef6.jpg
Posted by: wendybird | August 8, 2005 07:50 PM