Purring Though It's Dark and Rainy

  

Herself

🤍

            “Hi, Suzy,” I said, when I noticed her waiting silently by my elbow. “You look thoughtful.”
            “It doesn’t seem fair, to me,” mewed Suzy, earnestly.
            “Well, tell me about it,” I urged.
            “It’s a couple of things,” she said. “Well, three.”
            “OK, number one?” I asked.
            “Mr. Baby. He walks around saying ‘meow, meow, meow!’ all the time. He sounds like he is lost or has a problem.”
            “He does. What’s number two?” I said.
            “The biggest best moon ever is shining up over the clouds, but we can’t see it!” she said.
            I sighed. “Yes, that’s true. What’s the rest of it, Suzy?”
            “It’s dark. It’s raining and the days are too short. Nobody can sleep that much!” she said.
            “Let’s work our way through all that. OK?
            “Number one, Mr. Baby is the kind of cat who meows. There is nothing we can do about that. You should be happy that he isn’t mean! He’s rather nice, isn’t he?” I asked her.
            “No, he’s not mean. There is that,” she said.
            “There is nothing we can do about the weather, either, is there?” I said. “It is what it is, as people love to say. I’m glad cats don’t say that.”
            “Some of us just say ‘meow, meow, meow!’” she giggled, which in her case is just a little smirk.
            “There’s nothing to be done but think about the good stuff. I don’t need to tell a smart little girl like you what those things are, do I?” I said. “If you say them to me, they’ll be more real to you.”
            So, she reeled off a little list of things like a warm house, two kinds of food always, clean water, a nice tidy litter box, plenty of places to nap. All those kinds of things.
            “So, with all that in hand, Suzy, you have plenty to purr about. Right?” I said.
            “You’re right,” she said.
            “Spring will come, the weather with improve. Mr. Baby has to sleep part of the time! It’s all part of the cycle of life. Your job is to purr and be happy,” I reminded her. “Of course, if a mouse gets in here, it’s also your job to get that mouse!”
            “OK,” she said and hopped down off of the desk.
            I felt like I had been talking to myself! How about that!

🔔