The cat came back!

Two Fridays ago I went out at the end of nap time to get some groceries for the day care and ended up picking up Frances while I was out.  Consequently, I stayed late at work to do payroll and make sure all the cleaning got done.  I didn't end up leaving until about 6:30.  Ken had called in an order at a Chinese restaurant, so I stopped there on my way home to pick it up.  I finally got home at 7 with three tired and hungry kids.  I was carrying Benjamin in one hand and dinner in the other hand while shooing the other two kids inside, and while the door was open, Oscar slipped out.  I guess I was just distracted enough that I saw it happen but forgot to follow up on what had happened.  It wasn't until Saturday morning while cleaning the living room that Ken said "Where's Oscar?"
We walked around the neighborhood twice calling for him (Frances sounded so pitiful calling his name that I almost cried.) and talking to neighbors.  We put up signs and called the SPCA.  Nothing came of any of it and I was rather upset with myself over the whole thing. The nights were getting colder and I was worried about him being cold, hungry, and lonely.
We went out of town for Thanksgiving and I even checked the voicemail a few times to see if anyone had called about him, but no such luck. I was sure he was gone for good, but I still didn't know what to tell the kids.
On Sunday night, I gathered up the brand new bag of cat food and new jug of  litter and took them next door to our neighbor who keeps cats.  She kept asking "Are you sure?"  And I told her "If this is what it takes for him to come home, then so be it!"                                                                          
Well, it worked!!  When I got home tonight I saw a cat slink across the street a few houses down. I looked at it and felt a bit nostalgic for Oscar.  Henry must have seen it too because he wanted to go see it.  I got him out of the van and carried him down the street. We got to the truck we had seen the cat run under and I put him down, sure that the cat was long gone; but when I looked he was still there.  I called out to this cat, just to see what would happen and lo and behold-out walked my kitty!  He walked straight over to me and rubbed up on my leg.  He let me pick him up right away and I carried him home. He got a bit nervous when the kids screamed excitedly, but I held tight and got him in the house.
He went straight for his food dish and has been eating tiny bits off and on all evening.  Right now he is sitting on my lap snuggling with me.  I think he missed us as much as we missed him!
Welcome home Oscar!!

By the way, this video is totally unrelated because we did not try to get rid of the cat, but the whole scenario made me think of this and I had to go look it up.  Enjoy!