[carrot]

A practical use for the Surefire A2 Aviator -- walking the cat

This is a bit on the long side... sorry! I'm experimenting with a few stylistic choices here, too.

Friday night, when the clouds were out, the sodium vapor streetlamps glowing an eerie yellow, my cat insisted on going out for a walk. (That's right, a cat going for a walk!) I grab my Surefire A2 Aviator as I put on my jacket and pocket it. Cat leads the way.

Soon we end up in a dark driveway, away from all the streetlamps and city lights. A few cars are scattered up and down the driveway, parked on the side, next to people's garages. I pull my A2 from my jacket pocket, and with some fancy fingerwork and a flick of the wrist, I turn on the LEDs. They provide a smooth flood, with a barely discernable blue hotspot on the gravel of the driveway. Cat and I continue walking.

A few minutes go by, and I hear the crunching of gravel. I quickly turn around and see a van coming up the driveway. I wave the A2 in the driver's general direction and pull cat out of the way of the van. I refrain from the knee-jerk response of kicking the A2 into high at the driver.

Cat and I walk further up the driveway, stopping periodically because cat wants to sniff everything. Using the A2, I am able to see Cat in the darkness, preventing him from crawling under cars. Cats and cars don't mix. At one point during the walk, Cat notices a water bowl, and eagerly pulls me toward it. I hold Cat back. There must be strays around here, I tell myself. I squeeze the button on the tailcap, instantly lighting up the driveway, and with the powerful incandescent beam, I sweep the area for strays. Two oval green eyes are watching Cat from underneath a dirty old van. Stray cat doesn't want Cat touching his food.

I pull Cat away from the bowls, and as we move forward, Stray cat streaks across the driveway, hiding behind another car, this time on our other side. Again, I shine the powerful beam in Stray cat's direction. Stray cat is still watching. Cat and I keep walking, and I occasionally glance in Stray cat's direction. Stray cat moves up behind another car to follow Cat. I begin to get nervous. Stray cat might be getting territorial and might pick a fight. Cat appears unaware of Stray cat.

When Cat and I stop again, Stray cat moves. Stray cat sits on a ledge, next to a fence, watching Cat. I can almost sense it getting ready to leap on Cat. I aim the A2 right into Stray cat's face, only meters away, spread my arms and hiss at Stray cat. Stray cat dashes off into someone's yard.

When I turn back to look at Cat, Cat looks a little frightened, but is still enjoying his walk. Soon we walk back and reach home, but I never stop scanning the driveway. Stray cat didn't return. Cat and I get home safely, thanks to the searing power and dual modes of the Surefire A2 Aviator.