Today, both dad and mom left the house! I think this house
is great, why would they want to leave? But in the peace and quiet I lay
resting and thinking. I had a lot to think about. Last night I received a nice note from Bailey, my dog friend
in California.
Bailey, I feel your pain, having to go out at such an hour
in the cold! Have you thought of using a litter box? Mine works fine and is
cleaned on a daily basis. I even have a subtle citrus-scented device nearby to
keep the air fresh and sweet!
You are right about cats. I admit that I do eat and sleep
quite a bit, but I am making up for the horror of being on the street,
starving, as a youngster. I do some of my best thinking during my naps.
As to finding Dar, I am sure that I will see him at some
point, since his parents live with me and he loves his parents. And Dar claims that he loves me, and will take
me back when he has the right living arrangements.
And, yes Dar does like dogs. He likes all animals. He has
told me about all of his pets.
The black cat, Samantha, was in residence before Dar was
born, and loved to get near him – just out of reach of his tiny fingers. She
was as interested in him as he was in her.
I think there was a fish or two, won at a coin toss at the
school bazaar fundraiser. I don’t think they were very responsive as pets, but
I wasn't here at the time.
Dar once considered having a hermit land crab. He saved his money and went to the pet store.
He wanted to hold one before he bought, and unfortunately, the crab got scared
and closed up into its shell, pulling in some of Dar’s soft skin! The salesman
told Dar to relax and the crab would come out, and he got control, relaxed and
freed his hand, crying the entire time. Needless to say, Dar decided the crab
was not the right pet for him.
He once flirted with the idea of buying a ferret, but after
many visits to the pet store, observing their habits, he decided that they were
a bit wild. And they had big, sharp teeth.
Then came the hamsters:
Rose, the 5
th grade class hamster, was born and raised in a
family of children so she was used to being held and never bit! When summer
came the teacher let her go home with Dar for the rest of her life. She loved
classical music and would stop her activity, stand with one paw on the cage,
other paw relaxed and listen until the music ended!
And Martin, the Siberian hamster Dar bought at the pet
store, who was sweet, small, loved to curl up in the skin of a baked potato,
still warm after dinner, and was named after Martin the Warrior!
Mom says she still thinks of the hamsters every time she peels
fruits and vegetables!
Emma, the perfect one, lived with Dar for only 13 years, but
was a huge part of his, and the family’s life. She was a true family cat. Dar
and his mom looked one entire summer, visiting the Humane Center every week,
looking at kittens. The volunteer finally told them about a 12-week-old kitten
that had been found, starving, and was finally strong enough to have visitors.
By then Dar and mom had a lot of experience in reading what a cat was like.
Emma played, then mom picked Emma up and laid her on mom’s lap…Emma laid back
like a limp noodle and relaxed. Then Dar played with her, and held her. He
claimed that she was “perfect!” They signed up to adopt her on the spot,
certain that waiting to talk to dad would mean she’d be adopted by someone
else! They would not risk losing the perfect cat.
Then came the visits of several rescue dogs, none of whom
Emma could tolerate, hiding in closets and refusing to come out, refusing to
eat. Dar’s love for Emma sent the dogs back to the rescue groups.
At college Dar rescued several dogs. First were two Shih Tzus he tried to find homes for only to
discover they had left the safety of the back yard. Next was a puppy he took
care of and found a home for with the retired next door neighbor. That puppy is
now a huge, loveable dog!
Then Dar rescued a black and white cat…I don’t remember its
name. He thought it was “the one”, the keeper. But, he soon learned its true
nature and found it a good home with two young children.
By then he had already met me, and he realized that I might
be “the one”, the keeper. I sure hope he still thinks I’m “the one”, and so do dad and mom.
