"I'll tell you son. When I was a little kit, even younger than you are now, I was being given away.
Well, there I was, locked up in a cage on a swap meet table. I was lucky though, I had my brother with me.
But being behind bars even if you're with family just ain't no fun. So about the time this big hairy biker's coming by, I commence to beat on my brother.
"Well I can see I got his attention, so I stand up against the bars and hiss at him.
He pokes a fat finger at me and I stick a claw into it. Well he roars back and laughs and laughs.
"The next thing I know, I'm going for my first motorcycle ride, stuffed in his shirt. Let me tell ya son that was a harrowing experience. The rumble of that bike was louder than the barkin' of seven big dogs. Then it stopped and I was bein' jostled around and stuffed into some silly thing that he took off his head. I thought the thing was some sort of kitty litter bowl, but just about the second I was gonna use it, he covered me with some sort of gloves. Well let me tell you, I was confused. So I sort of curled up and waited. I was bein' taken for a walk but hidden for some reason.Then with bump we stopped moving. heard human voices, his and a female of his species. I just had to poke my head out to see what was happening. Well I guess I was a surprise because his lady was cooing at me and him in a real excited voice. I knew I liked her right off, besides she was soft and warm and cuddly."Hey! Boy, you want to stop chasing that moth around. Plant your paws back on the garage floor here.
Try and pay attention when your gramps is talking. 'Sides boy, I'm getting to the good parts. Now where was I. Oh, I remember. Back in his shirt going for another ride. This time though I was enjoying the wind in my face. Instead of being scared, I felt like I was riding a big black dog, and I was feeling like I was in control o' this situation.
"Well I don't think I ever had a greater thrill than riding this motorcycle. By the time we got home, here, I was hoping we'd never stop and was truly in love with it. But he took me in the house and that's where I stayed for a couple of weeks, 'til he thought I was old enough to roam outside. The first thing I did was find the motorcycle and curled up on the seat, just in case he'd take me for a ride. I see that look in your eyes boy.You think your old gramps is senile, still waiting for that ride. Not so boy. Nope, I got my rides and plenty of them, especially after the, night I got to be a hero. You think I'm an old tomcat bragging about my life. Not so boy. It all happened by mistake, but be sure it happened.
"It was late one night, more like early morning actually. I heard that big bike rumbling home.
As my biker was coming in the door I made a shot for outside. Just one of those things, I'd been inside too long and wanted some night air. I guess he'd had a long run because he didn't wait up for me. So I climbed under the tarp up on the seat of my pride and joy.I musta been out an hour or so, when I heard voices I did not recognize. The tarp came off the bike really careful like. I was still a little groggy and still spread out on the seat. What I could not figure out was where was that darn dog. Why wasn't he barking and raising all hell, It was about this time I caught the scent of these guys. Let me tell ya son, once you smell a thief you'll now it. I don't know how but you do. You just know they don't belong and that they ain't up to any good. What I didn't know was what to do.
"They had cut the locks and were just about to start moving the bike when they spotted me. I was even blacker then, than I am now. I was real hard to see at night, that's how come I come by the name of Midnight. Even though they were going to name me Claws, because ever since I was a kit I had exceptionally large claws. Aw, but I digress, you're right boy, back to that night.
"Well this greaseball reaches for me. The biggest mistake he coulda made. 'Cause running up my biker's arm to perch on his shoulders was one of my kitten games and I was good at it. So when I saw that arm coming I knew I had to move. I scrambled up his arm, before he could blink I was on his face, all four paws, all claws sunk into his face.
"The caterwauling this greaseball set up, coulda woke the dead and it did. 'Cause by the time he was trying to pull me off his face, I'd scrambled around the back of his head and reset my claws in his neck."Now all Hell broke loose. His partner in crime dropped the bike. Dog came from somewhere all muster and violence, got the other guy by the leg. Now there was more screaming and cursing going on.
''Then the yard lights come on, the back door crashed open and my biker was on the scene!
"From my vantage point on the back of the thief's neck, I saw the fire flashing from my biker's eyes. I heard growling, but it was not dog this time.Biker, he came running and busted that fella so hard in the face he sent me flying, right before the guy went down. Dog was holding his own 'til the dude he had a hold of hit him with a wrench. I felt sorry for dog, he did not look good. But he had held his man just long enough for biker to get to him. The crunching of bone hurt my ears. Just as biker was about to stomp his face, the yard filled up with all kinds of flashing red and blue lights. I guess the neighbours thought the party had got out of hand. I staggered over to where biker was tendin' to Dog "Come on Midnight, I think you and Dog deserve a beer," He tossed me on his shoulder, picked up Dog and carried both of us into the house.
''That's right boy, as you see Dog recovered. I don't think he's all there, but then I don't think he ever was. But he ain't bad for a dog. Treats us okay, him and I got to be buddies after that night.
"Hey Kit, here comes biker, so skeedaddle. Maybe today I get to go for another ride."
"Hi Midnight, telling that grandson your stories again. Ya! Ya! Don't look at me like that. Get on my shoulder, you get to come today."