Tripod is an amputee,

who lives behind our church.

He greets us as we come and go

and doesn’t ask for much.

No one seems to know exactly

why he is disabled,

but he doesn’t let it slow him down;

his speed is the stuff of fables.

Lately as the service ends

and the doors are opened wide

he strolls into the narthex

then runs all the way inside.

He takes a seat down at the front

and stares up at the altar.

Through closing words and closing hymn

his attention doesn’t falter.

He’s always there on Sunday.

He seems the most devout.

While sitting at the altar

no one wants to toss him out.

He’s really quite a charmer.

Folks are bringing him cat food.

The choir sings as he’s walking out,

So what happened to Tripod? He very abruptly stopped showing up at church and, as with any member who has been faithful and stops coming to services, the congregation was worried about him. Our minister, maybe going a bit above and beyond his duties, tried to find out the fate of our faithful cat.

It seems Tripod DID actually have a family that lived down the road and behind our church. The family relocated and, thankfully, took Tripod with them.

Putting an end to speculation about the fate of Tripod, our minister announced, “We can assume he’s going to another church.”