Do cats really have nine lives?

Do cats really have nine lives?

   Today in the evening  I was driving down a skinny road with one lane on each side.

I went with my youngest son to complete some errands - to return CDs I rented from a media rental shop,to bring mail to my Filipino friend who uses my address, and to throw my postcards into postbox near the biggest post office in our town, so they could be collected first thing in the morning.

   We drove slowly, in a good mood, listening to my son's favorite game music. Suddenly I saw a big white cat, running from the right side of the road, just under the wheels of a big white Toyota van which was approaching toward me with pretty good speed. I saw as if in slow motion how the cat escaped one wheel of the van, then another, while the van was pushing breaks and nearly hitting the ground with front grill.

   The cat succeeded to escape from the van's wheels but continued to run across, just right under my wheels! I glanced into the rear mirror and saw a car right behind me. Damn! I couldn't push the brakes! I held my breath and prepared to hear the deadly sound... But I didn't hear anything. I passed away smoothly. When I glanced in the rear mirror again I saw the white Toyota van still standing in the middle of the road, and several cars behind it. Probably the cat was scared of my car and darted back under Toyota, but fortunately that time the Toyota van had stopped completely.

   I realized that nothing bad had happened with that cat and I continued driving. However, my hands were shaking and my heart was pounding heavily. Then I had burst into tears. It was an aftereffect of the shock I got, I think.

   Anything can happen on the road. I was taught a  lesson once again to always stay alert.

   Cats might have nine lives, but I don’t want to test it again.