Have I got a deal for you!
IBM (Irresponsible Bad Mamma) cat had kittens on the back step, in a specially-designated box—with lining and cover, and just as the little mites were beginning to open their little eyes, she hauled them off somewhere unknown and they were not seen or heard from again. End of story? Not on your tintype!
I stepped out onto the front porch just ten days ago…LO, and Behold!…three little furballs took off from the kitty couch by the door, raced to the front steps, down and out of sight. One golden one, one gray one, one black one with a small white bib disappeared over the edge and I knew exactly where they were going. A quirk in the construction of the front porch has left access to the space underneath the floor by climbing up behind the facing on the porch from the shelf feature by the steps. Easy as pie!…for a kitten.
So, that’s where they hang out most of the time, apparently, coming out occasionally to enjoy lunch with Mamma (free lunch is the best), to wrestle with each other, to jump up on one of the chairs where they can stare at me when I come out on the porch, then take off down the steps again. Sometimes they’ll get into a corner someplace then do their “Escape from the Large Dangerous Creature that just Appeared” routine when I step out there and dash across the floor to get to their hideout.
There does appear to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Mr. Gourmet—the black one with the bib—came out the other day and stared at me from under the lip of the porch overhang, followed by the AARP cat—the gray one, without skeedaddling ASAP. This may be a good sign. We’ll try enticing them with canned food next. This is always kind of tough because IBM tries to muscle in for what she regards as her fair share.
Be forewarned, anyone who misbehaves at my place for the near future will be rewarded with a cat-in-the-pocket treat. Traveling sales persons may get more action than they have bargained for. Party favors for any gatherings here will take a furry turn. I’d even consider going “halfsies” on fees to have them “fixed” for anyone who would like to have one( even though they are not really broken). Can’t get a better deal than that.
And speaking of animals…. A couple of days ago, on my early morning walk, I was chugging along down Maple Ave. (It’s pretty darkish about then and I can’t always see everything that I pass.)when I saw something in a disintegrating tree stump alongside the sidewalk. Looked like it might be a squirrel.
It was NOT a squirrel. It was a smallish skunk, presumably looking for breakfast and not interested in Sausage McMuffins across the street. I said—cheerfully, I hope—“Hi, Skunkie,” and just kept heading for the corner to make my escape. The critter sort of turned to watch me go but did not back up and aim his business end in a threatening manner. I kept moving, just in case it might change its mind.
And then there was the Fair, the Lorain County Wellington Fair–THE fair as far as my whole family is concerned. Watched a portion of a goat showmanship class. They all looked pretty showy to me. There was one at the end of the line who was clearly not interested in impressing anyone or being shown to that end. The poor girl who was doing her best to present the beast to its best advantage was having a hard time even getting it to stand still and stop bleating at top volume. Then I segued to an auction of a market rabbit. No bleating there, no major movement of any kind, the bunny just sat with the girl who raised it, wiggled its nose and looked like a white rabbit not in a hurry to get anyplace. The man standing next to me was one of the bidders. He would just twitch a card that he held in his hand and the spotters with the auctioneer would give the nod and up would go the price. I think that the rabbit went for somewhere around two hundred fifty dollars. When I asked the man if he really wanted the bunny or if he was simply in it to get the price up for the girl, he just smiled. Maybe he was the girl’s dad.
Watching market auctions is always problematic. The kids need to get back their investment in the animals and build up their college savings and such; the businesses which buy the animals get the publicity and get to do a good thing for some good kids. The animals, on the other hand, don’t get much to look forward to. Definitely a vote in favor of vegetarianism.
Bought doughnuts from the Band Booster Booth, bought chicken sandwiches from the Henrietta United Methodist Church booth and headed off to get stuck in traffic on I 480. It was a good day.
