text: Would the meek and mild ever triumph, so love could find its way? Fabio drove to his day job as vet, wondering. That morning, he had awoken in the usual way, surrounded by the smother love of his Zia Gabriella, or Gabby as she was affectionately known in his little 'hood. Long ago and far away now, Fabio had become an orphan, so his father's older sister had brought him up, family first. Fabio brushed off his trousers, covered with cat fur again.He did love all creatures great and small, hence his vocation. Zia Gabby had taken to feeding a vast array of stray felines in the suburbs, in his little corner of the world. The cats understood Italian quite well, and dined on pasta Bolognaise in different formats. "Let's face it," Fabio told himself, "we're all in a good paddock! Not exactly malnourished. No dumb arguments from me." He patted his developing pot belly, and started his day of healing fur and feather, with a compassionate smile for all his pet owners. At the age of 35, every Sunday, Fabio dutifully drove Zia Gabby to Mass, still feeling like the oldest altar boy in the Church. He walked before the parish priest, a good shepherd, as he held the bible of the Holy Word. It was what it was, the days of an ageing male, devoted to his vocation. Brushing off more pet fur when he arrived home, Fabio commenced upgrading a website for his voluntary job. You guessed it, he spent his spare time at a homeless pet refuge. It desperately needed more funds for pet food, more foster owners, more volunteers for pet walking and socializing, to feed the fur pals, and to clean their pens. "This is a sign of the times," Fabio reflected, as Zia Gabby was cooking up a storm in her kitchen, surrounded by her adoring cats, waiting for their pet bowls to magically fill up with food again. Other people in the community were having to confront the emotional chore of surrendering their beloved fur to the refuge in their suburb. The local Food Donation Center was trying to collect tins of pet food, but this was a battle for all pet lovers. On Saturday afternoon, Fabio was there, at the homeless pet refuge, as a new volunteer breezed in, with a smile for everyone. She, too, was slightly vertically challenged, and soon commenced walking dog duties with Fabio. Lucinda was her name, a really lively chatterbox. Bemused, meek and mild Fabio was soon fascinated by her entertaining company. He did not quite know how to respond, when Lucinda shared that she was an atheist, modelling her personal philosophies on Bertrand Russell, hoping to be a humanitarian. She kept on chattering away, sharing her opinions of living in the universe. Strangely, after one walk with the fur boys together, for want of anything romantic to say, Fabio showed Lucinda all his phone photos of Zia Gabby's cats. He did not think any more of that, so he went home, no dumb arguments planned at home or anywhere. Maybe he was a star-crossed lover wannabe. Realistically and practically, he could just envisage his voluble Zia meeting an atheist. Zia Gabby was not exactly inclusive. But by six pm, there was the front door bell. At the door stood Lucinda, smiles aglow. "Who is this?" Zia Gabby asked, "A disgrazia?' Lucinda entered, saying, "No, Zia Gabby, I'm a good girl. Look, photos of my kittens. I've come to meet you and your cats. You are a legend!" Soon, coffee and almond biscotti were flowing. Fabio had no dumb arguments, as the chatterboxes really got on so well, bonding over tales of their love for furry friends. Lucinda finally drove off, honking her car horn, after half an hour of goodbyes with much embracing. "You come back soon!" Zia said, glad for this new friendship. "Bella, bella!" Zia Gabby sent their surprise visitor home laden with plastic containers of pasta and home-cooked biscotti, and a crochet cat jacket. Fabio stood amazed by this by this turn of events in his otherwise devout mild day. Zia Gabby went indoors, and made several signs of the cross in front of her array of plaster saints. "Grazie, dio, now I can have a brag book of babies, real ones!" Really, Zia Gabby had been quietly praying that Fabio would end his days as a permanent bachelor. She had been losing face with no cute baby photos among her peer group of coffee gals, the gossip clutch of their neighborhood. Fortunately for all concerned, Lucinda soon regarded Fabio as walking sex on legs. No, Fabio was so meek and mild, he had no dumb arguments. The reader might say he never took one step back from his love finding its path. Better late than never. Holy nuptials followed, with a beautiful bride, a very proud and happy bridegroom, and more photos for Zia Gabby. Love had found its way, so Fabio kept on praying for Lucinda to have some belief. It was the true magic of the universe, star-crossed lovers meeting in some chance coincidence. Fabio could imagine a rosy future ahead, surrounded by love and permanently covered in cat fur. Acceptance at last. Amusing really, the happy couple's kitties were bilingual, understanding Italian and English. Zia Gabby never arrived empty handed, soon Lucinda's cats had matured to eat both pasta and best chicken mince. The felines were even known to enjoy Chinese takeaway. Malnutrition was definitely not a problem in this version of the family circle magazine. Cultural competence had somehow made it in the 'hood. This little family soon had a thousand reasons to smile, despite Fabio being the oldest altar boy in Christendom. Crochet cat boleros and bandanas soon gave way to hand-made layettes, kept away from cat fur. It was all so humanitarian, of course. Zia Gabriella held her own in the entire 'hood, so thankful that she could hand over Fabio and his pizza and pasta bar to Lucinda. Perfect, they all agreed that they would not discuss religion. But the kids were all baptized anyway, each way bet. They were all animal lovers too. There were never going to be any dumb arguments from Fabio, always so meek and mild.