A Very Serious Cat
Willie had been sunning himself, but
the shadows had shifted, and he was out of direct light. This always made him
thoughtful. Light and dark. Right and wrong. His philosophical side came out
during these difficult times.
“Suzy, you might want to note some of this stuff down,” said Willie to his sister.
“Willie, you goofball. Why’re you talkin’ silly talk. I can’t note anything down, and you know it!” she said.
“Well, huh, just take note of it then,” said he.
“So, OK, oh wise one. What’s the story today,” said Suzy.
“I’ve been thinking. Um, what if a person, or a cat, does the wrong thing, but for the right reason? Is it a right thing then, or a wrong thing?” said Willie.
“My head is feeling a little woozy. Do you have an example?” said Suzy.
“OK, I’ll keep it really basic. Say, there is a mother. She wants the very best for her children, or her kittens. But, she has been misinformed about what is good for them. Maybe something as simple as food. So, if she feeds her children food that will not cause them to grow and prosper to their best potential, but she does so out of utter devotion and love, is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” asked Willie.
“I would say that it depends on which is most important forever. Is their less than optimum physical condition more important than the mom’s constant and faithful love,” said Suzy.
“Not bad, Suzy, for such a little fluff head! On one level it’s a “bad” thing, and on a better level, depending on the love expressed, it’s a good thing! Ah, life is complicated, and that was a simple example. I shudder to think about more complex possibilities,” he said.
Willie sat in a perfect loaf position, just thinking for a while.
“What else ya got, Bro?” said Suzy when she got tired of watching him think.
He sighed. “Well, OK. I think you and Toots, but not Sammie, or for Heaven’s sake not Charley, or the guys, have gone a little, or a whole bunch overboard about all the things that you are scared of.
“It doesn’t seem healthy to think about and list scary things,” said Willie.
“But, but, somebody has to keep any eye open for all the bad things that could happen at any moment, night or day, but especially night!” exclaimed Suzy. “You guys just sleep! Who is going to protect our people or us, Willie?”
“Think about it this way, OK? Almost nothing that you are afraid of ever happens. You give yourselves worry bumps over guesses and nightmares.
“The other thing is, if some horrible monster managed to get in the house, what do you think you could do about it? Be realistic! You’re just a small domestic, but not really domesticated, ahem, cat of the pet variety. How could your vigilance count for anything?” said Willie.
“I’d go wake up one of the people!” she said. “And so would Toots! We could do that!”
“I’ll give you that. But, staying awake nights, imagining things? Come on,” said Willie. “Be practical. Sleep. Tell Toots what I said. If, by some incredibly small chance an Ozark Howler, a Werewolf or a big mean Stick Indian broke in here, you would notice. Then you could wake up and do your duty! I bet the people would wake up too!”
“But, Willie, not being on the alert feels irresponsible and lazy,” said Suzy. “Are you sure you’re not just lazy and don’t want us making you look bad?” she said.
“Of course not. And the other thing is, taking on responsibility which is not truly yours will just end up exhausting you and making you all hissy and weird. I think I may rest my case there! Who do we know who is all hissy and weird?” answered Willie.
“I can’t imagine,” said Suzy rather huffily and weirdly.
“Well, talk to Toots. She could use a chill pill too,” laughed Willie, in that cat way.
Suzy said, “I think the net result of this discussion could be listed as.
1. It depends.
“Oh, Suzy!
Take it easy. Why don’t you go find something shiny to look at and talk it over
with Toots?” said Willie sleepily. “I actually love you two silly girls.”
“Yeah, go to sleep. I’m going to go talk to Toots. She’ll know if you’re making any kind of sense at all,” said Suzy.
He did go to sleep.
And she did go talk to Toots.
But first she took a good long nap.
“Suzy, you might want to note some of this stuff down,” said Willie to his sister.
“Willie, you goofball. Why’re you talkin’ silly talk. I can’t note anything down, and you know it!” she said.
“Well, huh, just take note of it then,” said he.
“So, OK, oh wise one. What’s the story today,” said Suzy.
“I’ve been thinking. Um, what if a person, or a cat, does the wrong thing, but for the right reason? Is it a right thing then, or a wrong thing?” said Willie.
“My head is feeling a little woozy. Do you have an example?” said Suzy.
“OK, I’ll keep it really basic. Say, there is a mother. She wants the very best for her children, or her kittens. But, she has been misinformed about what is good for them. Maybe something as simple as food. So, if she feeds her children food that will not cause them to grow and prosper to their best potential, but she does so out of utter devotion and love, is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” asked Willie.
“I would say that it depends on which is most important forever. Is their less than optimum physical condition more important than the mom’s constant and faithful love,” said Suzy.
“Not bad, Suzy, for such a little fluff head! On one level it’s a “bad” thing, and on a better level, depending on the love expressed, it’s a good thing! Ah, life is complicated, and that was a simple example. I shudder to think about more complex possibilities,” he said.
Willie sat in a perfect loaf position, just thinking for a while.
“What else ya got, Bro?” said Suzy when she got tired of watching him think.
He sighed. “Well, OK. I think you and Toots, but not Sammie, or for Heaven’s sake not Charley, or the guys, have gone a little, or a whole bunch overboard about all the things that you are scared of.
“It doesn’t seem healthy to think about and list scary things,” said Willie.
“But, but, somebody has to keep any eye open for all the bad things that could happen at any moment, night or day, but especially night!” exclaimed Suzy. “You guys just sleep! Who is going to protect our people or us, Willie?”
“Think about it this way, OK? Almost nothing that you are afraid of ever happens. You give yourselves worry bumps over guesses and nightmares.
“The other thing is, if some horrible monster managed to get in the house, what do you think you could do about it? Be realistic! You’re just a small domestic, but not really domesticated, ahem, cat of the pet variety. How could your vigilance count for anything?” said Willie.
“I’d go wake up one of the people!” she said. “And so would Toots! We could do that!”
“I’ll give you that. But, staying awake nights, imagining things? Come on,” said Willie. “Be practical. Sleep. Tell Toots what I said. If, by some incredibly small chance an Ozark Howler, a Werewolf or a big mean Stick Indian broke in here, you would notice. Then you could wake up and do your duty! I bet the people would wake up too!”
“But, Willie, not being on the alert feels irresponsible and lazy,” said Suzy. “Are you sure you’re not just lazy and don’t want us making you look bad?” she said.
“Of course not. And the other thing is, taking on responsibility which is not truly yours will just end up exhausting you and making you all hissy and weird. I think I may rest my case there! Who do we know who is all hissy and weird?” answered Willie.
“I can’t imagine,” said Suzy rather huffily and weirdly.
“Well, talk to Toots. She could use a chill pill too,” laughed Willie, in that cat way.
Suzy said, “I think the net result of this discussion could be listed as.
1. It depends.
“Yeah, go to sleep. I’m going to go talk to Toots. She’ll know if you’re making any kind of sense at all,” said Suzy.
He did go to sleep.
And she did go talk to Toots.
But first she took a good long nap.
🤍
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