how Pledges got his name might make a blog entry. Good idea Keith, thanks:-)

The little guy here in the above photo last March 24th. His name was Pledges and was my best friend for 18 years. In case I'd forgotten about this here we go.

My neighbors (Mary and Tracy) down the hall from me in my old building at 9710 156th st here in Edmonton befriended me. Mary especially we got along and came over to talk and drink coffee and play on my SNES. I was working at Associated Canadian Travelers (ACT Edmonton Club) at the time as a telemarketer/fundraiser. Mary kept on and on about how I should get a kitten to keep me company. She had this idea about an orange cat for some reason. I worked long hours from 9-9 and not coming home until about 10pm. I thought by having a cat the animal would be alone for so long, how would it get fed say at 6pm while I was working at night? Mary suggested if she had a copy of my apartment key she would come in feed the cat and lock up after herself. Monday-Friday. I stalled and stalled. back in those days I'd be getting 4 bills/week. A lot more money then what I'm getting now. 

It was late May June of 1991 and Mary kept pressuring me in a nice way. If you Google earth Edmonton for the Telus World of Science we worked in a building right across the street. It was a make shift phone room where we used telephones to call our customers for donations for the Telethon in February and Camp HeHoHa in the Spring until about the end of May. With 2 weeks left to go on the campaign Mary had been scoping out the pet shop at Westmount shopping center. I got my paycheck at noon on that Friday. Mary had convinced me to buy "the cutest little orange cat," they have ever seen. "Please pick him up before someone else does." Tracy and Mary were working at the Daycare slightly North of Westmount. It was on their way home. So Mary rushes through Coronation park (as it's called) and picked up the $100 I gave her and she rushed over to get him.

I worked the rest of the 4 hours and walked over to the Westmount transit station still there today. It was a beautiful sunny late May evening. I recognized the girls and Tracy had something stirring in her coat. Out popped this little orange head meowing in confusion. I recall it was quite windy that day. "What are you going to name him?" I had just got off work and it hit me. I raise funds for charity, why not call him Pledges" as in get a pledge/donation from the customer. We were all in agreement that the name is unique. I kept it and never changed it. This weekend whle Anne is working the extra hours, I'm going to dig through the old diaries for May and June of 1991 for the day I got Pledges. I love you Pledges, always.

Sorry for the long story but I wanted to tell it. Thanks Keith for the idea.

I'm home earlier. Work was really difficult for me what with the hoarse voice I had. So I asked Jerry if I could have the option of leaving at 7pm if my voice didn't improve. It didn't so I left out of there with my empties and I was home by 8pm. I can make up the hours on Saturday's shift.

I'm going to try and make a dent in reading "The Space Wolf" book tonight before Monday night Raw. I'll stay up for a bit there and get to bed.

Anyway gang, that's about all for now

Jim