Sep 23, 2008 4 min read

My mother had a way of finding out what my brother and I were up to. It seemed like some mystic channel that put her in the right place (for her) at the wrong time (for us). For example, when I was 15, I skipped school to travel to Pittsburgh with brother. However, I had to pretend to leave for school and then double back to wait for my brother to pick me up. As I turned a corner walking to the rendezvous point, my mother was standing at the other end of the block. I instantly turned and ran in the opposite direction. I didn’t think she saw me because I was in “disguise.” I had the hood pulled up on my coat and I was wearing a pair of glasses.

It wasn’t enough to fool her eagle eye. I paid a price for my crime.

Recently, I have been writing about people using the city streets rather than sidewalks for their exercise regimens: walking, jogging or running. I noted that, at least in my neighborhood, the sidewalks are perfectly suitable and safe for such activity.

One gentleman commented that is not the case in other parts of the city, saying that many sidewalks are in an unsafe state of disrepair.

But I got a letter from Marlene who said the whole matter of where people walk, run or jog is a “no-win situation.

“If we walk our dogs in the street, the motorists get mad. Because there are so many rude, inconsiderate people who don’t pick up after their dogs, the neighbors get mad when you’re on the sidewalks,” she wrote.

Well, I can see the reality of the situation.

But Marlene added something to her letter. She lives in my neighborhood and “we occasionally pass your house.

“A funny thing happened there twice when we were using the sidewalk. There was a yellow cat that came after our dogs, guarding its territory like a watchdog.”

My wife and I are childless (except for our unofficially adopted friend Kendra) but we have the next best thing, a dog and a cat.

Well, our Pepe fits the yellow cat description.

I had no idea he was so aggressive. I should probably put up a sign reading “Beware of the cat.”

We have a running disagreement in our home about letting Pepe outside. I feel it is safer to keep him indoors. My wife feels he should be able to enjoy the outdoors from time to time, arguing that Pepe usually stays close by when he is out.

But this account of the “yellow cat” going after someone’s dogs may help my case. I didn’t know Pepe was being so disrespectful to his neighbors. How rude. Not to mention he may not be very wise about what subjects must endure his snarls or hisses. In other words, he’s liable to bite off more than he can chew and end up on the wrong side of a dog-and-cat fight.

I apologize to Marlene for his behavior. And, maybe we should ground Pepe for a while, revoking his outdoor privileges as punishment.

Of course, I never would have known about this if Marlene hadn’t responded to my column and related her encounter.

Which takes me back to the beginning of this column.

We “parents” always have a way of learning just what our “kids” are up to.

And as a side note, potential burglars may want to take care. Don’t worry about the big dog in our house. It’s the cat that’ll get you.

Have a good day.

James Pletcher Jr. is Herald-Standard business editor. He can be reached at 724-439-7571 or by e-mail at jpletcher@heraldstandard.com. Pletcher