Old Blackie

[thestoryteller]

OLD BLACKIE

"I've always lived here in the bush" old gran would often say,
"and plan to keep on living here until my dying day."
Jim's dear old Mum was quite a wag, though loved by one and all;
she'd lived here on the property as long as I recall.

The house was old gran's pride and joy and built by Jim's late dad,
for here she raised her family through good times and through bad.
In summer time gran sat beneath the patio outback,
but winter found her 'round the stove; the cold she couldn't hack.

She'd keep the old stove burning and the oven door ajar
which kept the kitchen nice and warm; gran never moved too far.
Old Blackie was gran's fav'rite pet, a tom cat she had raised,
and knowing of the kitchen's warmth 'twas here the old tom lazed.

He knew gran kept the door ajar so always climbed inside.
The oven was the warmest spot, so there he would reside.
Then he and gran would spend the day out of the winter's cold
and both would snooze the hours away or so that I was told.

Seems Jim had been out cutting posts this chilly winters day,
but fearing he might freeze to death he gave the job away.
His thoughts were of the kitchen and the warmth he knew was there,
the posts could wait another day 'twas far too cold to care.

Old Jim's sight in his later years was far from at its best
and hated wearing spectacles; considered them a pest.
He walked into the kitchen and saw gran there fast asleep,
then thought he'd close the oven door, but failed to take a peep.

He thought he'd get into a book to pass the time away
and stoked the old stove up a bit to keep the cold at bay.
When suddenly a dreadful noise came from behind the door
that woke poor gran with such a fright she fell onto the floor.

Jim pulled the oven door ajar and Blackie bolted out.
His feet all burnt and hair all singed he did not hang about.
Old gran gave Jim a real good serve, "You're nasty and unkind!"
Poor Jim took off to find the cat; he sure was in a bind.

He fin'lly found him up a tree and coaxed the moggy down.
Apologized to poor old gran then rang the vet in town.
It took some time but Blackie lived and gran just let it ride,
but to this day Jim wears his specs whenever he's inside.

©Merv Webster

From the book Tales of Uncle Jim