Welcome to my garden. Please walk carefully among the roses and the conifers. Please feel free to smell the flowers and enjoy them, but don't pick any of them if you please. I have placed many benches in the shade of trees for you to sit on. I ask that after your walk, you please read the sign at the exit.

Here's a bunch of stories. Some of these stories are based exactly on dreams that I have had about tigers, and others (further down the page) are some stories that I've started to write, but have not yet finished.
 
Stories - please read the short - OK not so short - description of each story, then click the underlined text above each description to view the story.  New additions are at the top of the list.

 

To Take A Stand

This story is the result of yet another one of my dreams about tigers.  The dreams are usually short and consist of one or a few scenes.  Therefore the author of the story has to do alot of work to flesh it out into something that can be read as a story, and not as 1 or 2 paragraphs.  Kenti has again volunteered to do this, and as usual has done a very good job with it. 

The Price to Pay

I had another profound dream of tigers which I related to my friend Kenti, and in turn he created another touching story of it.  I am still pondering the meanings of the dream - one of the feelings expressed is my grief and pain of loss that they are rapidly being pushed ever further toward extinction - and the authors' feelings on that subject - and what I would be willing to pay to keep that from happening.

What price would you be willing to pay to save those who are most important to you?

Again, Kenti had to flesh out the details, as dreams are often sketchy at best - and he did so wonderful a job with it.

Some people - who know of my work and contact with big cats - make a game of checking me for missing body parts or new scars.  They obviously do not understand what it is to work at something that brings complete joy and contentment.  I am never more happy then I am when I am with the cats I work with - touching their lives with my love, kindness and care - and feeling them in turn touch my life with their love, total trust and strength.  It's all worth any risk I may take - the gentle hello chuff - the trust of being able to give belly and neck skritches - stroking a tigers' ears - the times when I just sit and talk to them, and they listen - giving them love and attention to make them happy and having my hands and/or face licked in return.  They do show their love for me as well - it's a two way street.  

Making them happy is one of the great achievements of my life - albeit perhaps a simple one - making them happy by showing them how much they are loved and respected by me.

I would not trade working with and around big cats for anything - no amount of anything you can name can make up for the simple joy of spending time around the tigers whom I have come to know and love - save for being able to save them entirely from extinction. 

As with the other story, please read the Authors' notes first, and my original description of the dream, then enjoy the story.

Forever Sleep

A good friend of mine, Kenti - who also works with big cats - and I were talking one night, and I related a dream about tigers that I'd had to him.  The dream was one of those vivid dreams that you can almost feel, and can never forget.  It affected me very deeply, and also it affected him very profoundly as well.  The dream turned out to be very personal for him as well - so he did me the greatest honor of taking on the challenge of turning my dream into a short story.  It must have been really hard for him, because it was hard for me; the dream left me very emotionally shaken.  He shares the same love for tigers that I do.  

The dream I had, and the story that Kenti created for me out of this dream, are quite personal for me.  I was deeply affected by the dream, and even more affected by the story - because this dream - as some dreams do - came from the depths of my soul.  My eternal love for this single beautiful, awesome creature - the tiger - are expressed so wonderfully in the story that reading it brings tears to my eyes - and I'm not kidding.  Kenti did such a wonderful job with the story that I know he feels as I do about tigers.

My deepest thanks go to Kenti for offering to write this for me - you did a wonderful and very touching job with it :-)

Please read the authors' note and the original dream before reading the story, as this all helps to set the scene.

Feline Dreams
This is a story that I started writing some years ago, and was an attempt to merge my feelings about tigers and endangered species protection, and also the main character had a spiritual belief he was connected to lions ... It's unfinished ... I'm not sure if it ever will be finished.

The Amurians: Struggle For Survival
This is a sci-fi gene-tech story that again, I started a few years back, then set it on the back shelf of my mind. It's even more unfinished then is Feline Dreams. However, I thought I would put it out there as it is another scrap of writing that is floating around waiting to be finished.

The Amurians
This one, which uses the same main character as TASFS, is a different story altogether.

Poetry - please read the short (?) description for each poem, then click the underlined text above the description to view the poem
 
Of Tigers, And Those Who Love Them

This poem was the most difficult and heart-wrenching poem I have ever forced myself to write, but writing it hurt me far less then the reasons for this poem:  It came about after hearing about the most atrocious, the most vicious, soulless, horrible and evil act I have ever heard that has been put upon a tiger; this atrocity occurred in Thailand, and sadly I understand this happens more then just once.  I'd never realized that humans could be that incredibly cruel, uncaring and soulless.  If you ask me what exactly I am referring to, I'll likely not want to talk about it.  Living with the memories of such details is, for me, difficult enough.  Suffice it to say that we all have to speak out for the tiger - NOW.

My love and respect for tigers runs very deep, and I find such things incredibly disturbing.  Many times I lose sleep and wonder if what I do - talking to people about the importance of tigers; writing letters to governments; donating money, and working with the tigers I know  - is enough :-(  I do what I can in the hope of spreading awareness and fostering respect for tigers - I know there are many environmental issues, and tigers are not the only ones in danger - but I know I can't do everything or be involved in everything - therefore I focus my energy on the one little corner of my world - the animal that holds a very dear place in my heart - the tiger.  

Crimes like these - the killing of tigers - must be stopped - PERIOD.  They are often killed in the most barbaric, the most unbelievably cruel ways.  I ask you the reader - if learning of things like this moves you at all, then take that energy and do what you can to stop the killing of these magnificent animals.  Write to your government, write to the governments of tiger countries and urge them to protect tigers.  

Those of you who know what barbaric events I am speaking of, and love & respect tigers  - maybe you understand the absolute rage, helplessness and utter grief I feel.  Those of you who don't, and who love tigers dearly - believe me you are far better off not knowing the details as I do.  I have to live with the memory of the details, and they will haunt me forever.  Please write the Thai government and urge them to protect tigers.  Thank you.

Do whatever you can for whatever animal you hold dear - for if you don't we will surely lose them for one reason or another.  The human race must be helped to learn to respect one another, the animals and plants of spaceship earth, and the planet itself.

From here, you can also visit my "Save The Tiger" page.

Well that's all for now. Keep checking back for more stories and new poetry!