I just received word a close family member of mine is being haunted by the apparition of a cat. A particular cat with particular markings. The way the story was told to me, was with a heavy serving of “Do something about it.” I almost had a few objects thrown at my head when my first response was, “Does he have a guilty conscience about something? Emotional issues or recent mental instability?”
For some reason, those questions were rewarded with a “How dare you” look. I had to bite my tongue, because he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and the whole family knows of it.
“Have you seen a cat like that before? A friend, or an old friend in an old neighborhood? Perhaps a connection to the past, or something on TV?” She shook her head. None of her current friends or neighbors have cats. And the few cats she has encountered in the past, none of them look like the apparition.
So, I asked the storyteller, “What do you want me to do about it? All I can do is look up mental health service providers.” I wanted her to come out and say, something. Not beat around the bush. Not drop vague hints with variable meanings. Just come flat out and give me an answer.
“What can you do about it?” Damn, ball is back in my court.
“I dunno. I’ll have to talk to him first. See if there is anything more that he isn’t telling you.” Dodge and parry.
His wife turns and starts to walk away. “Keri. This isn’t a mental issue. This cat is real. I haven’t seen it. But I know, it’s real. He is seeing a spirit, a ghost cat. It is terrifying him. And I don’t know why.” She leaves.
This is a quandry for me. No one in my family (with the exception of my daughter) knows I’ve left the Christian church. They all think I just “stopped going to the show”, like everyone else. And no one but my daughter knows about my divinatory and magickal toys such as the Tarot, the runes, the wands, sigils, et al. And not even my daughter knows about me and that Blond Fucker.
Because I have been asked, I am obligated to at least look into the issue. But how far down that rabbit hole I go, I have not decided yet.
If the cat is related to being caught in the cookie jar, I can do nothing about it. He bought the bed, no returns. But if the cat is related to something else, how can I approach that issue without being invasive? How can I bring up the topic of “other things” without spilling how much into “other things” I already am?