6:25 am and 77 degrees. No AC but that's a whole other story. Late September evenings here in Hawaii can be still and stifling during Kona weather. We keep our companionway hatch open until late at night.
I was writing. Gordon had gone to bed. I couldn't keep my eyes open so I turned in myself. Lapping water...rocking boat...far off low horn of a cruiser...
A knock on ORION'S hull.
It was Chris our neighbor.
"uh are you missing a cat?"
"I never miss either of my cats."
"No uh I mean are you MISSING a cat - is one of your cat's gone? Like the black and white one?"
"Let me check."
(20 seconds later)
"Yeah. Touloose is gone." This is said in a slight combination of relief (could it be possible the cat from HELL is not with us? - to: what are you thinking! You LOVE that cat.)
THE REST OF THE STORY.
It evidently occurred to Touloose that an evening stroll would be beneficial to his health but he only got as far as the next boat. Chris and his girlfriend were in their saloon watching TV when Touloose's large black and white form meandered slowly by...
"Just passing through..." he meowed, and then made himself comfortable in their forward cabin.
As soon as Touloose heard my voice he realized he was in trouble.
He kept coming up with excuses.
"Aliens took me..."
"Chris invited me in...honest"
"HOW DID I GET HERE? I must have walked in my sleep!!!!"
Back in the boat.
BACK in the boat!
BACK IN THE BOAT!!! NOW!!!NOW!!!NOW!!!
So ends another excellent adventure by Touloose.
but it got me thinking about what it meant.
1. I was so engrossed in my writing that I was oblivious (always a good thing).
2. It's important to take advantage of every opportunity even if you might get into trouble.
Touloose takes risks.
He lives large.
And so should we.
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4 comments:
Thanks for that (live large, take risks). So very true!
He was just living up to his name! Had you named named him "Tooneverleavetheboat" you wouldn't have these problems. Go for it kitty!" All that fish laden water around must tempt him.
I LOVE Touloose! He is so wise and we could all learn more than a thing or two from him. Plus, he comes up with great excuses. Be bad kitty -- we love you for it!
How do you keep a cat on a boat (as in "on" the boat, as opposed to "on" the rigging, "on" the dock or "on" the boat three slips down) anyway? Cats don't exactly listen well...
For our house kitties, we have invisible fence, so they stay "in" the house since there are coyotes outside that like to eat kitties for lunch, and the dog door doesn't care whether the kitties use it or not. The kitties have learned just how far they can go, but sometimes they test. They will walk close to the fence line, hear a beep, back up, take a step forward, hear the beep, back up... probing all along it. Especially if a toy has reached the other side. (Or at Christmas, if we put one of the portable units under the tree--the only way to make sure that Fifty Cent, aka Fiddy, doesn't replace the angel at the top of the tree).
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