Page 62 - Tomcats in Paradise

It was the custom of the alley cat trio to abandon other pursuits on
Wednesday evenings and return to their turf. Each had long laid
claim to specific trashcans filled for the next morning’s collection,
but that right of salvage had to be re-established weekly.
On one such occasion, as the sun slid behind the tanks and towers
of an oil refinery to the west, Levi Katz approached the scene with
more than usual anticipation. Pickings had been slim out in the
greater world: a lame grasshopper past its prime; a food wrapper to
which a few burrito crumbs clung; and a squirrel, already dead of
suspicious causes. So as Levi strode with strong strides down the
alley toward his goal, he was already entertaining visions of culinary
delight and licking his chops. But suddenly he stopped in his tracks:
something was wrong.