Fate Can't Wait: Cat Is Back (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798295588228)

Fate Can't Wait: Cat is Back is the extraordinary, true-life memoir of Steven Mathena, a man who has stared death in the face nine times and lived to tell the tale. This isn't a work of fiction-these are raw, unflinching stories from a life lived on the razor's edge, from the turbulent 1960s to the present day. Mathena takes readers on a gripping journey that begins with a teenage runaway hitchhiking across America with less than a hundred dollars, surviving on nothing but grit and the kindness of strangers. His adventures lead him through a series of dangerous trades, from gas station attendant to roofer, where he witnesses the unthinkable: a coworker falling into a 450-degree hot tar kettle that became his coffin, and another man sewing his own severed pinky finger back on with a needle and thread.

The author's life is a harrowing catalog of near-misses with mortality. He survives his own boat running over him, has a handgun explode in his hand at a shooting range, and narrowly escapes being crushed by a falling car-a moment he credits to a cigarette break that quite literally saved his life. He recounts a friend who burned a Bible and met a grisly fate, a fellow workmate who won 31 million dollars from a wet lottery ticket, and a homeless man whose life changed with a scratch-off win. From living in a tar paper shack infested with giant wood rats to chasing a thief through the woods while firing a rifle, Mathena's stories are so bizarre and vivid that they could never be invented.

Beyond the adrenaline-fueled adventures, this memoir delves into deeper themes of destiny, karma, and the power of choice. Mathena shares hard-won life lessons about how treating others with kindness returns to you, and how dwelling on negativity guarantees a bad day. He offers practical wisdom on everything from quitting smoking to maintaining health, and reflects on the mysteries of fate that have kept him alive against all odds. This book is a testament to human resilience and a reminder that truth is always stranger than fiction. Whether you're a fan of true crime, survival stories, or simply crave an unforgettable read, Fate Can't Wait will keep you turning pages and questioning the very nature of luck and destiny.