It's 1981. My son and I are cycling down to the pool at Urbanizacion el Casalot, Miami Playa, Tarragona. We haven't been living here long. What do we notice lying on a wall? A cute little stray kitten. He's black and white and looks up hopefully at us as we pass by. We just have to go over and pet him.
He's so happy. He purrs and smiles at us. Well, that's us hooked. I knock on the door of the house whose wall he's lying on in case he actually does belong to someone. Turns out the lady of the house is the owner of the house we're renting. She's Italian and the house she's living in just now is this huge mansion. It's just her little summer getaway residence. She's been taking care of the kitten, but is returning to Italy soon and doesn't want to take it with her.
Guess what? We get the kitten. Off we go home and present him to my husband who is a real cat lover. We decide to call the kitten, Tom Sawyer. Tom for short. Anyhow, we have lots of fun playing with him. After a few days, we figure we can let him outside for a little bit.
Well, the most awful thing happens.
We have these really noisy, kind of obnoxious neighbours who are originally from Madrid. I can never keep track of how many people are actually living in the house. The wife of the man whom I guess is the one renting the house beams at me over the wall separating our two houses.
"Senora. Look what I found!" She points to a black and white kitten. She picks him up and starts to cuddle him. "He just suddenly appeared in my garden. I've always wanted a cat. I think I'll call him, Juan."
Oh no! That's my Tom Sawyer! I almost yell the words like some crazy lunatic. He's mine! I did see him first and he's already settling in. Besides my husband and son have both taken a liking to him.
"He's actually our cat. I found him the other day lying on a wall."
"What do you mean? If he's your cat then he shouldn't be in my garden!"
She practically throws Tom to the ground. Her husband appears and pats her on the shoulder.
"Come on, my love. There are lots of stray cats. You can get another one."
She glares at me, then him, and then me again.
"I guess you're right." She reluctantly agrees.
He squeezes her and says, "Of course, I am. Now let's go to the nudist beach. That always makes you feel good."