Stray Outta Compton

There used to be a saying around here back in the day: if you learned to drive on a Dacia (an old Romanian car), then when you finally got yourself a foreign one—which, at that time, was guaranteed to be far superior—you’d be a hell of a driver.

The same logic applies to people who grow up rough or have tough childhoods. Once they make it, they tend to appreciate "that life" way more than those born into wealth and luxury.

I've often noticed that people who’ve been through hard times are more inclined to help others. They seem to find it easier to reach down and lift someone up compared to those who were born with everything handed to them. We even see this in the animal kingdom.

Living in Eastern Europe, I’m surrounded by stray cats and dogs, and it’s easy to observe how, especially in dogs, they form packs—something that resembles a family. Cats, on the other hand, not so much. They’re more independent, at least from what I’ve seen around here.

The subject of today’s post is a friendly stray cat that lives near my house. I found her chilling on a chair at the entrance of a small shop. I’ve seen her around the block quite a few times.

I say "friendly" because most strays are more cautious—you can’t get too close. But this one? She even let me take a few portraits of her. That’s rare. From what I can tell, she’s a teenager, probably a girl.

I have no idea how tough life is for her, but she didn’t seem sick or malnourished. There are families around here that feed both stray cats and dogs, and you’d be amazed to see how harmoniously they coexist.

I’ve never once seen a dog here chasing a cat. It’s like they’ve figured out they’re not actually enemies—something you don’t see often.

I’ve thought about taking her home a few times, but I doubt she’d enjoy being "trapped" in an apartment. I guess if you’re born on the streets, you belong to the streets. And somehow, that applies to us humans too.

If you were born in the hood, you’ll always be the man from the hood, no matter where life takes you. Those first seven years of life shape everything. That’s why the elites are so obsessed with controlling the education system—turning kids into slaves of the system…

Anyway, enough ramblingt for today. Wishing you all a great day—see you next time!

Thanks for your attention,
Adrian