I don't know if it's still there; I haven't checked since then. Naturally, I was curious and tried to get some information about it. I decided to be direct: I asked Mr. Stibitz if I could interview him on the subject for Only At IA. He agreed, and I came into his room after school one day to do so. I tried to record the audio from the interview, but my phone was set to record for something like 14 seconds at a time, and I didn't figure out how to change it until several months later. Instead, I took notes and managed to come away with some useful information. I found out that a couple of years ago, two students named Chelsea L. and Katherine S. brought the cat in and put it up for adoption. Mr. Stibitz offered to provide it with "a more caring home," and told them that it would always have a home in room 306.
Some time later, the cat disappeared. Mr. Stibitz couldn't find it anywhere (although, personally, I can't imagine him looking too hard,) and soon received a ransom note, complete with letters cut out from newspapers. As far as I could tell, the note was not too specific, threatening, as Mr. Stibitz told me, "general violence against the cat." It did, however, include pictures of the cat in "compromising positions," including one with its tail sticking out of the school's mailbox.
I have been trying for months now to get a hold of these pictures, and it has thus far proven impossible. I asked Mr. Stibitz if I could have a copy, as he is usually very generous when it comes to sending me files and letting me take pictures for my website, but he said he didn't have them; Sra. Riggs did. I asked Sra., who insisted Mr. Stibitz had them. This went back and forth several times until Mr. Stibitz admitted that he was being lazy and just didn't want to look. He looked, but still found nothing. Then he said that ----! Oh, wait! I can't say that yet, it'll ruin the ending! We can come back to it later.
Anyway, Mr. Stibitz then described how he tried to find the culprit, and eventually convicted Amrith S., class of 2009, who was Sra.'s student assistant. Sra. had ordered him to do it, so it turned out to be her after all. This kind of reminds me of a Mario game, where it looks like someone else will be responsible, but it inevitably turns out to be Bowser, which you've been subconsciously aware of all along. Or of the second Harry Potter, where it turns out to be *spoiler avoided- you probably already know, so you'll get it. If not, read the book!* Not to compare Sra. to either of them, of course. No offence intended.
So now back to where it all began- why was the cat on the projection screen? This issue started the inquiry (which so far has been ever so slightly less successful than OAIA's other mystery novel-style investigation,) but has yielded a vague - but nevertheless satisfying - result, in the form of a Mr. Stibitz quote: "I don't touch this cat. This cat has a life of its own."
Now let's wrap up one last thing. "He looked, but still found nothing. Then he said that" Amrith must have the pictures. I sent him an email shortly thereafter, requesting them and/or any information he might be willing to offer. Fast forward several months to the present: no answer. I called him (I hope I didn't creep him out too much...I did preface the conversation with "I have a strange request,") and asked if he still had the pictures anywhere around. He didn't, and apologized, saying he thought Sra. still had them! I'm writing this on Sunday the 27th, and I think I'll wait to post it until tomorrow or after I've had a change to ask Sra. one more time. Clearly, I really want those pictures. Mr. Stibitz offered to let me borrow the cat and recreate them, but I refuse to let OAIA be the cause of any more animal violence. So it all depends on her response, but chances are you're seeing this post without those pictures. I'll keep trying though, and I can always post them if and when I find them.
Nearly a month later: I didn't find them. Nor did I post this 'tomorrow,' but I'll forgive myself for that. If anything turns up, I'll keep you posted!
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