The Cat
Somewhat early on a Saturday morning I was having a cup of coffee on my patio when I noticed a large cat looking at me.
It was between two of my flowerpots towards the back but my pots are placed in such a way I could see each plant well from my chair. I could see the cat well. The cat could tell I could see it.
It was a semi-longhaired charcoal grey cat that was a bit overweight. By the time I took my first sip of coffee it had relaxed. By the time I had finished half my cup it was sound asleep. It was definitely somebody's cat; stray and feral cats would be on alert or gone.
When I finished my coffee and stood it opened its eyes and watched me go inside the house. About an hour later I saw it go through my picket fence and away from my patio. I had no idea how long it had been taking naps on my patio or if it was a first time for it but I kind of hoped it would come back. I live alone and sometimes any company at all is better than none.
I did my usual things on Saturday but did not see the cat the rest of the day. Sunday morning it was back. It raised its head when I sat in my patio chair then went back to sleep.
I felt insulted. All I merited was barely a glance?
I told it of my displeasure but all it did was tweak its ears.
"You are lucky I'm used to being ignored," I said to it.
That didn't even merit an ear flick. I resumed drinking my coffee and watched the hummingbirds and butterflies visit my flowers.
Soon enough it was Monday.
I was a schoolteacher and my first class isn't until nine so I have time for coffee in my patio each day although earlier than on weekends. I was usually dressed and on the patio around seven and on my way to work by seven thirty. We did not have to be at work that early but I had a fifteen-minute drive and needed time to get ready.
The cat came sauntering in just as I was finishing my coffee. I said good morning and asked it to watch the house for me then left.
That went on for the whole week until the following Saturday when I went out at my usual eight AM.
The cat greeted me with a meow them went back to sleep.
"Yeah, what you said," I answered its greeting and drank my coffee.
That next Sunday morning's schedule included feeding the plants. I do that one at a time and have to walk past all the pots to do so.
I talked to the cat as I did but by the time I got to the cats usual spot it was gone. I finished my task without giving it a thought; well I did fell a bit silly talking to a cat that had already gone home.
After putting everything away I got another cup of coffee and went back to my chair on the patio.
The cat was in it.
"Hey, that's my chair. Use the other one, " I ordered.
"Meow," she said.
Her indelicate position told me it was a female. I also saw that beneath the thick fur there was a collar with a tag. She had an owner.
I pulled the back of my chair up a bit and she spilled out of it and after another meow wandered back towards her usual spot. Water was seeping from beneath the pots so she turned back and jumped into my second chair. She was asleep in seconds.
I drank my coffee then went inside the house to write a story about cats. I did not notice when she left.
On Monday when she came over she jumped directly into the second chair and began some grooming.
"Must be nice to be able to reach down there," I said.
She paused long enough to look at me and said, "Yes it is."
At least that's what I thought that meow meant.
She was asleep in the chair when I left.
The week continued like that until I made a mistake. That Friday I bought her a cat toy. It was a silly windup mouse I got at the dollar store that scooted along the patio floor.
I presented it to her the next Saturday morning and she loved it, pounced on it and waited for me to rewind it then pounced on it again.
That was when I realized I had made a mistake.
I got tired of being her servant and wound it up one last time then went into the house.
The following Sunday I looked around the patio but never found the thing. The cat stayed in the chair; apparently she knew I would not find it.
The following Friday I got her another toy, this one was a stuffed mouse with catnip inside.
She ignored it.
The mouse stayed on my patio until a heavy rain then it must have been washed away. I never found that one either.
I noticed that most of my conversations outside of school were with her. I noticed I was a bit more relaxed in my relaxedness. Cats have that reputation.
Two weeks later I bought her another toy, a feather on a string on a stick. Yes I knew I had to actively play with her but I got it anyway.
I spent a longer time with her on weekends and after the first feather thing unraveled I got another one.
Then she stopped coming over. I said fine and just sat in my patio chair. Two days later I walked around the neighborhood hoping not to see a squashed cat on the street. I got that wish but not the other.
A month passed then one Saturday morning there she was on her chair. I said, "Where have you been? You didn't write, you didn't call."
"Home, I've been home."
At first I was astonished to hear her speak then it occurred to me to look behind me. A nice looking lady was standing there smiling at me,
Nobody smiles at me unless they want a tip or a higher grade on their report card. I just stared at her until the cat said, "Meow."
"Oh, thank you for reminding me of my manners," I said to the cat. Then to the woman I said, "Please come in and join us. Would you like some coffee?"
"If you already have it brewed yes please, one cream one sugar."
On my way back to her with her coffee I noticed my hand was shaking and wondered why.
The cat was on her lap when I rejoined them. We sat in silence for a few moments as we enjoyed the brew then she said, "You have twenty two pots out here, and I have four. My patio looks like a cement patio with four plants. Yours looks like a tropical forest should."
"Thank you, that was the plan. The two back rows are hibiscus, then gardenias, firecrackers, and vincas in front. That side of the fence has esperanzas and plumbagos. The other side has roses.
The hanging baskets have bougainvilleas."
"It must hurt the eyes when they are all blooming at once."
"Don't know. That has never happened, not even just the hibiscus. I keep hoping though."
I saw it happen but it did not register until it had already happened, the cat got off her lap, walked across the patio table, then settled on my lap.
"Wow, she has never done that. She hides when anyone is around especially men. Have you been feeding her?"
"No. I didn't know what her diet was."
"But it was you that got her the wind-up and the catnip mice."
"Yes I.....how do you know about that?"
"She brought them home."
"Oh."
"Her name is Grace by the way and she is not supposed to get out of my house. It took me three weeks to find how she did that and now she can't. This morning I decided to see where she was howling about she needed to go so I followed her. I just knew she had a boyfriend."
"She does but she is safe here."
