This is a story of feline sharing and caring from my yet to be written, therefore unpublished, AdvoCat Studio anthology: My Life With Cats.
Frankie, the polydactyl, tabby cat, began his life with us under the care and tutelage of Nicky, our big, luxuriously furred, Himalayan-Birman mix. With patience and forbearance, Uncle Nick taught Frankie the ABCs of cat behavior and etiquette, a sometimes daunting task.
Frank was already a grown up with a long track record of caring and tutoring each kitten that came to live with us just as he’d been taught, but like any cat, he needed his rest and had his favorite spots.
One fine winter’s day, when Frankie was asleep on his favorite morning spot atop the radiator in my studio, dreaming dreams only cats really understand… in walked Beau, the sleekly, beautiful, young prince of the household.
“Ah, there’s Frank… must be a great spot for a nap,” he said to his cat self as he gracefully leaped up to join his friend.
“Oh bother’ muttered Frankie through his sleepy cat lips. ‘Patience, forbearance… that’s the key…”
“Okay, you’re cute, I love you: lay down now.” In truth, Frank was just a tiny bit annoyed, because he’d been dreaming the most wonderful dreams that morning and wanted to get back to them as quickly as he could.
Beau sighed, deeply content with such loving acceptance, but he just couldn’t get comfortable.
“I’ll give him another minute to find his groove,” Frank thought… ‘he’s just a kid.”
“You okay, there buddy?” Frank asked in his best uncle voice.
“I think my feet are too long,” whined Beau as he twisted about, certain that with perseverance, he’d find his perfect spot right next, and as close as possible, to his friend.
“Feet? Something like that,’ Frank whispered to his own self… ‘something like that!”
“Got it, Uncle Frank! Thanks”
“This spot feels great; I’ll just do a quick wash, be done in a jiffy. You don’t mind do you Uncle?”
“Musn’t forget the hips ‘n haunches… so important to a cat’s graceful beauty. Appearances are important.”
“Okay, all done, I’m back now. Thanks for waiting Frankie.”
Frank, running a bit low on patience said ever so quietly, “I’m sleeping now, gorgeous. Try it, you’ll like it… we’ll both like it.”
But Beau wasn’t ready to sleep yet. Settled near enough to hear his friend’s heartbeat, he said coquettishly, “Tell me a story and then I’ll go to sleep.”
Frank, reaching the end of patience as well as forbearance, thought: “I really don’t have time for this.”
” See you later…bonne nuit, Beau, sleep well.” He said warmly, and slipped away to where grown-up cats go when they really, really need their rest.
Beau was bewildered; he couldn’t understand why Frankie would just up and leave like that. “Where’s he going,’ he mused, ‘I’m kind of lonely here all by myself… but I do look good, don’t you think?”
