Ender's Game....

Ender's Game.... · 09:04 PM

My son and I share a passion for Science Fiction. He introduced me to a book called 'Ender's Game' and there is one character in the book called Bean. Bean was very smart and almost dead. He ended up OK but stunted, I believe, from his experience.

Now to the photo: This cat is the decendant of Squeeker, a female, and the sole survivor of all her 4 other litter mates from a neighbor's ferel part siamese female and a rotund black and white male. Squeek took some time and patience from me getting her to trust me, now she seeks me out and bumps my hand for rubbing BUT not picking up so no capture without loss of flesh. She had a litter of 5 and this one was the sole survivor, and ferel, and starving, and very sick with eye infection and abcess on chin. Basically he was skin and bones, filthy and stunk to high heaven. Abject pityfull looking thing literally one day from death. I scooped him up, put him in a dog carrier with dirt box, water, food and a folded towel so he could at least eat without competition. He started putting on some weight, we treated his eye with some special goop, and after a week of treatment, gave him a bath. He was very affectionate but didn't like being in the box. One day he finally got strong and healthy enough though he was very little and I could not catch him so I emptied the carrier, cleaned the towel and figured he could make it on his own. Regular twice daily noises at the front door let me know he was there for chow and he kept telling me his name....so I started calling him BEAN. He is a survivor, just like his namesake in Ender's Game and he is a runt.

This is BEAN. His right eye is two colors from the infection and he has a permanent goatee where the abcess ruptured but he now lines up at the barn for grub along with Squeek, Frank and Mr. Kittyboy.

Kitanis · 12-24-2006, 11:46 PM

Neat pic of a fine cat.

I am reading the latest Orson Scott Card Book Empire..

roentarre · 12-25-2006, 05:00 AM

Nice framing with good composition

A touching story there. Did you end up keeping the cat at all?

This is warm story you had provided

clarenceclose · 12-25-2006, 08:09 AM

Thank you for your comments.

James, yes he is among the 4 barn cats whom I feed twice daily, though he is at the bottom of the pecking order. I make sure he gets his own dish and as you can probably tell from the photo, he is rounding out nicely, perhaps too round.

Photodan · 12-25-2006, 09:08 AM

Thanks, Clarence,

A terrific story for today in particular.

I appreciate a person rescuing an animal. Here in Arkansas there are far too many cats and dogs running wild and too often they end up killed or caught by animal control and "put down" as they call it.

Nice pic what with the black cat against all that snow.

Dan

little laker · 12-25-2006, 09:27 AM

cute cat, and a good story to go with him. Thanks clarenceclose

Duh_Vinci · 12-25-2006, 01:09 PM

Nice cat, goot photo and the story. thanks for sharing!

Regards,
D

photo_mom · 12-25-2006, 02:40 PM

Merry Christmas Clarence!

Love the photo of Bean. He doesn't look to mind snow at all.

"Ender's Game" and that whole series are some of my dog-earred books that have been read and re-read many times. I'm not crazy about how he ended the series, but on the whole it's a fantastic set of books. Have you read any of the alternate view books (the ones told from the other characters' point of view?).

clarenceclose · 12-25-2006, 02:58 PM

Thank you all for your read view and review of the shot.

Bean may not mind the snow but he does like it when I pack him from the yard to the barn against my jacket. Funny little fellow. Doesn't want to be held much but has never used his claws to get away from me as some are prone to do when they leap to the hay. He even gives me a consilatory 'his jaw to my nose' rub to acknowledge me then wiggles to get down.

Tracy, haven't read the complete group but read some of other characters. I know what you mean about endings, sometimes it is almost as if an author just dribbles away and it would be better to just stop leaving some things unfinished. Issac Assimov pulled off a complete well done series with his "Foundation" series. Heavy but a good read. Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas too.

**NaClH2O** · 12-25-2006, 06:16 PM

Hi Clarence. Great story, "Enders Game" is my fav Orson Scot Card series. I too am a big fan of both fantasy and SF. Been reading it since the early '60's. And that cat's life so far definitely sounds like Bean. Good name. Good shot too

NaCl(thanks for sharing)H2O

vievetrick · 12-25-2006, 07:12 PM

INteresting story and nice photo.

Photo Tramp · 12-26-2006, 05:57 AM

Great Story Clarence and very fine cat. I have three little Girls (well one is my wifes 18 lb. lap cat) but we love all three of our girls and each has a different personality. Our oldest (Pandora) had come to us from a shelter. She was turned out to fend for here self. She liked people but just didn't trust them. When we got her home She was put down on the floor and never seen again for about 2 months. We knew she was there because the food dish would dwindle each day. With in the last few years this cat has become one of the most affectionate and loving cats out of the three we have. she has found she is able to trust us and shows her affection by rubbing (in fact she goes out of her way to rub and at times demands being held.

This is Pandora.

Good shooting.
Cheers: David

clarenceclose · 12-26-2006, 09:50 AM

This is my constant companion. As I work at the computer at home, he sleeps between me and the monitor, stretching once and a while, turn, head bump me, get a rub then back to sleep. He gets upset if I am not home on time, pacing, goes into a funk if I go on a trip. I almost called my business "Sleeping Cat Creations."

Mango Joe. Was brought home by my wife from a friend's barn but I have become his people and he, my cat, much to my wife's chagrin. Each one is different, each one special.

ericc · 12-26-2006, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by clarenceclose

Tracy, haven't read the complete group but read some of other characters. I know what you mean about endings, sometimes it is almost as if an author just dribbles away and it would be better to just stop leaving some things unfinished. Issac Assimov pulled off a complete well done series with his "Foundation" series. Heavy but a good read. Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas too.

The Foundation books are a great read, even the ones that Asimov wrote later in life. I like the way he tied them up. What I don't like is the way this bunch of modern writers have moved in on the characters and are re-writing them their way. I read about 50 pages of Benfords "Foundations Fear" and said "no way in h3ll am I getting sucked into this". It's very rare that I leave a purchased book unread, but that one will remain on my shelf in pristine shape until I'm dead.

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12-24-2006, 11:46 PM	#2
Kitanis Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rapid City, SD Photos: Gallery Posts: 138	Neat pic of a fine cat. I am reading the latest Orson Scott Card Book Empire..

12-25-2006, 05:00 AM	#3
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Nice framing with good composition A touching story there. Did you end up keeping the cat at all? This is warm story you had provided

12-25-2006, 08:09 AM	#4
clarenceclose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,506 Original Poster	Thank you for your comments. James, yes he is among the 4 barn cats whom I feed twice daily, though he is at the bottom of the pecking order. I make sure he gets his own dish and as you can probably tell from the photo, he is rounding out nicely, perhaps too round.

12-25-2006, 09:08 AM	#5
Photodan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 157	Thanks, Clarence, A terrific story for today in particular. I appreciate a person rescuing an animal. Here in Arkansas there are far too many cats and dogs running wild and too often they end up killed or caught by animal control and "put down" as they call it. Nice pic what with the black cat against all that snow. Dan

12-25-2006, 09:27 AM	#6
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	cute cat, and a good story to go with him. Thanks clarenceclose

12-25-2006, 01:09 PM	#7
Duh_Vinci Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,300	Nice cat, goot photo and the story. thanks for sharing! Regards, D

12-25-2006, 02:40 PM	#8
photo_mom Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 545	Merry Christmas Clarence! Love the photo of Bean. He doesn't look to mind snow at all. "Ender's Game" and that whole series are some of my dog-earred books that have been read and re-read many times. I'm not crazy about how he ended the series, but on the whole it's a fantastic set of books. Have you read any of the alternate view books (the ones told from the other characters' point of view?).

12-25-2006, 02:58 PM	#9
clarenceclose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,506 Original Poster	Thank you all for your read view and review of the shot. Bean may not mind the snow but he does like it when I pack him from the yard to the barn against my jacket. Funny little fellow. Doesn't want to be held much but has never used his claws to get away from me as some are prone to do when they leap to the hay. He even gives me a consilatory 'his jaw to my nose' rub to acknowledge me then wiggles to get down. Tracy, haven't read the complete group but read some of other characters. I know what you mean about endings, sometimes it is almost as if an author just dribbles away and it would be better to just stop leaving some things unfinished. Issac Assimov pulled off a complete well done series with his "Foundation" series. Heavy but a good read. Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas too.

12-25-2006, 06:16 PM	#10
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Hi Clarence. Great story, "Enders Game" is my fav Orson Scot Card series. I too am a big fan of both fantasy and SF. Been reading it since the early '60's. And that cat's life so far definitely sounds like Bean. Good name. Good shot too NaCl(thanks for sharing)H2O

12-25-2006, 07:12 PM	#11
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	INteresting story and nice photo.

12-26-2006, 05:57 AM	#12
Photo Tramp Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lancaster, PA. Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,041	Great Story Clarence and very fine cat. I have three little Girls (well one is my wifes 18 lb. lap cat) but we love all three of our girls and each has a different personality. Our oldest (Pandora) had come to us from a shelter. She was turned out to fend for here self. She liked people but just didn't trust them. When we got her home She was put down on the floor and never seen again for about 2 months. We knew she was there because the food dish would dwindle each day. With in the last few years this cat has become one of the most affectionate and loving cats out of the three we have. she has found she is able to trust us and shows her affection by rubbing (in fact she goes out of her way to rub and at times demands being held. This is Pandora. Good shooting. Cheers: David

12-26-2006, 09:50 AM	#13
clarenceclose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,506 Original Poster	This is my constant companion. As I work at the computer at home, he sleeps between me and the monitor, stretching once and a while, turn, head bump me, get a rub then back to sleep. He gets upset if I am not home on time, pacing, goes into a funk if I go on a trip. I almost called my business "Sleeping Cat Creations." Mango Joe. Was brought home by my wife from a friend's barn but I have become his people and he, my cat, much to my wife's chagrin. Each one is different, each one special.

12-26-2006, 11:46 AM	#14
ericc Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Western Oklahoma Posts: 412	Originally posted by clarenceclose Tracy, haven't read the complete group but read some of other characters. I know what you mean about endings, sometimes it is almost as if an author just dribbles away and it would be better to just stop leaving some things unfinished. Issac Assimov pulled off a complete well done series with his "Foundation" series. Heavy but a good read. Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas too. The Foundation books are a great read, even the ones that Asimov wrote later in life. I like the way he tied them up. What I don't like is the way this bunch of modern writers have moved in on the characters and are re-writing them their way. I read about 50 pages of Benfords "Foundations Fear" and said "no way in h3ll am I getting sucked into this". It's very rare that I leave a purchased book unread, but that one will remain on my shelf in pristine shape until I'm dead.