A MISSING CAT1 The owner of a missing cat1 is asking for help.

2 "My baby has been missing3 for over a month now4, and I want him back so badly,5" said Mrs. Brown, a 56year-old woman6. Mrs. Brown7 lives by herself8 in a trailer park near Clovis9. She said that Clyde, her 7-year-old cat10, didn't come11 home for dinner12 more than a month ago13. The next morning14 he didn't appear15 for breakfast16 either. After Clyde missed an extra-special lunch17, she called the police18. When the policeman19 asked her to describe Clyde20, she told him that Clyde had beautiful green eyes21, had all his teeth22 but was missing23 half of his left ear24, and was seven years old25 and completely white26. She then told the officer27 that Clyde was about a foot high28. A bell29 went off. "Is Clyde your child30 or your pet?31" the officer32 suspiciously asked. "Well, he's my cat33, of course," Mrs. Brown34 replied. "Lady, you're supposed35 to report missing PERSONS36, not missing CATS37," said the irritated policeman38. "Well, who can I report39 this to?" she asked. "You can't. You have to ask40 around your neighborhood41 or put up flyers," replied the officer42. Mrs. Brown43 figured that a billboard44 would work45 a lot better46 than an 8"x11" piece of paper on a telephone pole47. There was an empty billboard48 at

the end of her street just off the interstate highway49. The billboard50 had a phone number51 on it52. She called that number53, and they told her they could blow up54 a picture of Clyde55 (from Mrs. Brown's family album)56 and put it on the billboard57 for all to see58. "But how can people see59 it when they whiz by on the interstate60?" she asked. "Oh, don't worry61, ma'am, they only whiz by between 2 a.m.62 and 5:30 a.m.63 The rest of the day64, the interstate65 is so full of commuters that no one moves66." They told her it would cost67 only $3,000 a month68. So she took most of the money69 out of her savings account70 and rented the billboard71 for a month72. The month73 has passed74, but Clyde has not appeared75. Because she has almost no money76 in savings77, Mrs. Brown78 called the local newspaper to see79 if anyone could help80 her rent the billboard81 for just one more month82. She is waiting83 but, so far84, no one85 has stepped forward86.