It was a Monday morning in April 1996. Sheila Olszewski was resting after an exhausting weekend spent as a member of Paumanok Cat Fanciers who had put on their annual show that weekend. The phone rang, and her neighbor spoke the words that automatically send a chill down the spine of any cat person:
"Is one of your cats missing? I hear it crying."
After a moment of panic was replaced by cool, rational thought, Sheila performed the necessary head count (tail count?) that reassured her that all feline family members were present. Curiosity and compassion aroused, she ventured out to locate the loose cat.
A NYNEX telephone work crew up the street verified that a meowing cat could be heard. An investigation revealed it to be coming from the nearby underground storm drain. Getting to it would be rather difficult. Did she want to try it? Did they know anything about cat lovers?
The next several hours were engaged in earnest phone calls to town officials: locating the exact location, locating the entrance to the storm drain, requesting permission to uncover the entrance, requesting permission to enter it. Basically, Sheila was getting nowhere until she threatened to enlist the aid of CFA's Animal Welfare representative. Little did the Town of Brookhaven know that said representative was, at that moment, probably en route to her home in Texas. Nevertheless, finally armed with all the authority she could muster, Sheila approached the NYNEX crew. Would they help? Sure, but essentially it was up to her. Drain open, ladder offered, Sheila descended thirteen feet into the storm drain.
Once underground, Sheila located a dirty, pathetic, scrawny cat perched on a ledge in the drain. Securing it to her chest, where it clung tightly, she climbed back up the ladder to daylight. Well, it was vaguely reddish and whitish, filthy and frightened. Cat went into a carrier and off to the vet. While en route, the promised "heavy rainshower" began, and, within a few hours, the storm drain was flooded. Surely, this rescue was literally in the nick of time.
At the vet, Sheila left instructions to test Cat for everything and, if found negative, innoculate him, neuter him, and she would "find him a home, with one of her HHPCC friends." judging from his condition, the vet confirmed Sheila's suspicions that Cat had been down in the drain since the freak Easter snow storm two weeks before. A few days later, Thomas NYNEX O'Malley (Thomas O'Malley from the hero of Disney's Aristocats, and NYNEX, after the phone company) came to his new home - Sheila's, of course.
As the weeks passed, "Nine" took to his new home with great relish. Cleaned up, he really is a handsome lad: pink (cream) and white. Fitting since Sheila had been working on cameo tabby Turkish Angoras in her breeding program. Also he is a double polydactyl - extra toes all around (22 total). As he gained weight, he filled out to be a large, solid, substantial, bunny-coated boy.
By late June, the transformation was so dramatic, Sheila decided to enter Nine in the Diamond State cat show over 4th of July weekend. He would be a good cage-mate for her red tabby Turkish Angora (Grand Champion Swanmagic Davey Crockett, CFA's national 4th Best TA, and first tabby GC). Nine was a bit wary of the show experience, however, and only finalled in one ring. Undaunted, Sheila tried again at Nova Cat Fanciers in August, and Nine was the highest scoring HHP in show! Not just a flash in the pan, Nine repeated this feat at the Empire State show in September, and Sheila (& Nine, of course) took home one of the BIG rosettes, sponsored by the club for Best in Show in each competitive class.
Throughout the rest of the show season, NYNEX and his new cagemate, Duke (Grand Premier, Regional Winner, Azima's Cinnamon Toast of Swanmagic) became known as the "pink boys", each out to capture honors in his respective class. By May first, Duke was the 15th Best Cat in premiership, North Atlantic Region, and Nine was ninth in HHPCC International standings, and third in Region 13, breathing down the necks of several-time Best Cat Scott (Owner: Claire Singer) and often time weekend roommate MacHeath (Owner: Wendy Rosfeld). Quite a triumph for a lucky rescued cat.
Now in semi-retirement, Nine still likes it underground, choosing to spend daylight hours in the cool basement. He requires, however, the reassurance of the equivalent of a miner's beacon, as he will not stay down there if Sheila turns off the light. But, accolades have not changed the laid-back, sunny personality of this cool cat. He continues to be one of the loves of Sheila's life. And who knows, you may just see him back on the road again ... always have to fill the other half of that show cage!
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