Welly

Story and Painting by Lehan Winifred Ramsay

On the way to the station I passed a house with a small box lined with newspaper outside. A kitten box devoid of it’s occupant. I found the kitten under a grate but I couldn’t catch it and I stopped and considered cancelling my work for the evening. But I am poor, I went on. On the way home I stopped at the convenience store for some chicken nuggets. The kitten was no longer under the grate but wailing in a carpark against a wall, and he was easy to catch. Too easy, sadly, and although I tried to help him he died after two days. I was carrying him to the animal doctor.

On the last day I came home and found his condition had suddenly worsened. It was four hours before the animal doctor opened. I painted his picture on a board and frame I found in the garbage.

His name was Welly.