By Staff
To the editor:
I am writing this in hopes you will put this in the paper because I don't believe the policemen and firemen in our town get enough praise for the good they do. So I publicly would like to thank them. They were wonderful.
Last Friday night my cat, Tramp, who lives up to his name, didn't come home. This cat never fails to return when I call him in.
Then it rained and blew like crazy. He still didn't return. I thought this was strange. I called for him again. No Tramp. Midnight comes around and he still wasn't home. The last time I called for him was 4 a.m. in the morning. By now I am frantic. I knew something bad had happened to him. Come daylight, I dressed and started searching the neighborhood. I knocked on garages and called, then listened for a meow. Nothing. So I decided to look on Oak Street, dreading what I'd find. I didn't see any cat on the road or boulevard.
I started for home, when I remembered a neighbor telling me about a basement window that was unlocked in a vacated house behind us. So I walked over there and pushed on it with my foot. It opened easily. I got down on all fours and called his name.
I got my answer. He had either been tossed in there or fell in. I had no clue how I was going to get him out of there, because nobody had been there for sometime. To my knowledge anyway. Had no clue what the owners name was either. I couldn't just break in.
So I went home and called the police.
Now when they sent a car out, it was Officer Glick. A very nice officer. He told me he'd meet me over at the empty house. He was so helpful. I think he knew I was very upset. After we looked at Tramps problem, we decided we needed a ladder, He then contacted the fire department who was kind enough to come out. I am not sure which fireman went down through the window, but he did get my cat and handed him to me. I have never been so grateful in my life. This cat could have starved, before anyone found him in there had not Mrs Blackmond mentioned this loose window last week, and these wonderful people helping me, when this is not their job really. Funny how an innocent comment turned out to be a life saver.
I also want to thank dispatch at the Niles Police post for even sending a car. They're very professional and kind, and helped me a lot. After they retrieved "Tramp", the officer asked that the window be boarded up. It was a danger to other animals, or small children in this neighborhood. The firemen did a fantastic job doing it. It's perfect. So is Tramp.
Niles