Everyone knows a dog is a man’s best
friend but I can assure you a ‘well-trained’ cat can offer you almost as much fun
with much less trouble. Our Jack definitely is the perfect friend for a couple like
us who would consider having a dog not only far too binding but also too much
of an inconvenience on a daily basis.
Yesterday, I was doing some ironing
in our upstairs hall. There is an alcove under one of the eaves serving as the space where we generally arrange our clean clothing but this time I carried the
ironing board to the middle of the hall watching the TV at the same time.
Jack immediately accompanied me
settling down on the carpet at the narrow end of the board. I was most pleased as he
seldom takes his nap anywhere else but in the most comfortable place for his
needs at that moment, in the winter most often on one of the beds. He was just
lying there half asleep keeping me company but whenever a sleeve was hanging
from the board he was immediately wide-awake trying to catch it and play with
it. Item after item, sleeve after sleeve.
I do hope I will learn to enjoy the little
moments a bit more like a cat but I fear I still rather resemble a
dog awaiting the best stimuli to be offered from the outside world. At my age, this
is absurd. I should be more than aware of the fact that we can never expect
anything from tomorrow. Only a few days ago I was once again reminded about this when I heard about the premature passing of someone I knew and appreciated. I wish I had taken the time to know her better.
In Horace’s words, “Carpe diem, quam
minimum credula postero”. Maybe I’m not totally hopeless as I’m finding such
joy in watching the cat amuse himself whenever there is the slightest occasion
for that.
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