Priya had first seen the cat skulking among the bushes in their garden looking dirty and worn out. She had not noticed Priya but instead purred softly trying to clean herself. Priya's heart had immediately melted.
She had run quickly to the kitchen to get some food. She found an old bowl that she knew her mother would not miss and filled it with milk.
Returning to the garden, she had carefully placed the bowl where the cat could see it. It was not long before the hungry cat smelt the milk and lapped it up hungrily.
Priya had been thrilled to have her own pet cat, albeit a stray one. Priya had named her Whitesocks since she had white feet which looked like socks on a black body.
Soon thereafter, as if by magical understanding, she and Whitesocks settled into a schedule. Whitesocks waited near the bushes every morning and afternoon for Priya to bring her a bowl of milk. After drinking it, she sometimes let Priya pet her.
One day, Whitesocks had followed a thrilled Priya into the house. Priya was slowly leading Whitesocks to her room to play when suddenly Nainamma had come out of her room.
"There is a black cat in the house! It will bring terrible bad luck. Priya take it out, right now!", she had yelled.
No amount of pleading had convinced Nainamma that Whitesocks was harmless. So, Priya reluctantly led Whitesocks back to the garden where she had disappeared over the compound.
When Priya got back, Nainamma had given a long lecture about black cats being a bad omen. Priya pointed out that she was not fully black but had white fur on the legs and that her name was Whitesocks. That apparently did not matter. It was still a black cat and brought bad luck.
Another time, Nainamma had caught sight of Whitesocks as she came out to pluck flowers in the morning. Seeing Whitesocks she had tried to hurry back into the house but unfortunately tripped over the steps. Thankfully, she was not hurt.
But, of course, the fall was attributed to the presence of the black cat. She complained about it to Priya's Father that evening. Father ordered Priya to chase the cat away.
Priya obviously had to ignore her father. After all, where would Whitesocks go for his milk? But she became extra careful, keeping a sharp lookout for Nainamma when Whitesocks came to the Garden.
Priya wished she could make Nainamma stop being scared of Whitesocks but she did not know how.
Problems however have a strange way of solving themselves as Priya soon found out.
One early morning, Nainamma suddenly had pain in her chest. Priya watched scared as her parents gave Nainamma water and tried to make her comfortable. Nainamma did not feel better. So, Father hurried out and got the car to take her to the hospital. Mother seated Nainamma carefully in the back seat.
As Father started to drive the car towards the gate, Priya watched aghast at Whitesocks hiding in the bush. Suddenly, Whitesocks chose to come out and walked daintily in front of the car forcing Father to stop until she crossed!
Priya prayed that Nainamma had not caught sight of Whitesocks. Nainamma's eyes were half closed and did not seem to have seen the bad omen.
Father called later to tell Mother that the doctor had found nothing wrong with Nainamma. She was as hale and hearty as any 65 year old lady can be. The pain was due to spicy food she had eaten.
Next day morning, when Priya went into the kitchen, she was shocked to see Nainamma filling the bowl with milk. Nainamma smiled and said, "Come, let's go and give milk to your pet cat". Too amazed to say anything, she quietly held Nainamma's hand and went to the garden. They both sat on a bench and watched Whitesocks lap up the milk.
Priya asked,"Are you not scared of Whitesocks any more, Nainamma?".
"Well, you see Priya, right from when I was a small girl, I was told that black cats were bad luck. That is what I always believed too. But yesterday, I saw her cross our car when we were going to the hospital. I did not have the strength to tell your Father to stop the car. After such an incident, I expected to be told that I was very sick. Instead, the doctors said I was fully healthy! How can I still continue thinking that Black cats are bad luck, you tell me?", she said smiling at Priya.
So, from that day Nainamma also took turns to feed Whitesocks, who did not seem to mind at all and even cuddled up in Nainamma's lap a few times. Nainamma, obviously was a good omen for Whitesocks!