“So it is quite a busy road,” the RSPCA lady says to me, after we’ve done the formalities. This woman, she has four cats and three dalmations. Briefly, I have an insight into what my life might be like if I’d never bumped into MindReader at law school.
“Yes. It’s worse this time of year,” I say, which is on my list of Things To Say.
“Well, you can only do what you can do. One of my cats wandered half a mile away to the nearest busiest road and got run over.”
The thought of BennyBear being run over fills me with sadness. “That’s awful,” I say.
“He’s, what? Three?” she says.
“Yep. And he was a stray…”
“So he’s got a good head on his shoulders,” she says, and it is bizarre to meet somebody who talks about animals how I do: as if they are humans.
“He has,” I say, resisting the urge to say that he will be going to a Russell Group university.
“Now, will you get a cat flap?” she says to me.
“Errrr,” I say, stalling. In all my road panic, I’d completely forgotten she might ask that.
“Or are you just going to let Benny go in and out and open the doors for him?” she says gently.
I sense this is the right answer. “I think Benny will probably demand we open doors for him,” I say, and she laughs.
She quizzes me about worming the cat and which vet I will use, and, because this is Type A Gets Cats, I already have a flyer from the local vets.
“I think we’re done here,” she says.
“Have I, have I passed?” I say, like, VINDICATE MY PERSONALITY WITH A GRADE, PLEASE.
“Of course!” she says.
She stands up, and then stops, facing the television unit.
“Who’s that?” she says slowly, looking at Max.
“That’s Max,” I say, thinking of my Nanna. “He’s very tame.”
And, because she is also mad, she says, “he doesn’t bark much.”
“He’s lost his voice,” I say with a smile.
I see her out.
“So I’ll call the cattery and tell them you’re fetching BennyBear on the 27th, is that right?” she says.
“Yes, that’s right,” I say, counting down in my head to my very own Christmas, two days later than everybody else’s.
YEEESSSS!! 10 days until cat cuddles. Are you still going to rename him? I’m so pleased you for. I’m sure mindreader is just as delighted?! ; ) Lots of cat themed presents for you now…
I don’t know, we have been calling him benny for so long now! MR was frantically cleaning the night before the visit, so perhaps he is more enamoured than we think. I did just receive a present for Benny, amazing.
Yay! So glad you’re getting him
Me too
Hooray! I’d recommend leaving him an indoor cat–I know it’s not popular there, but Benny (and birds!) will thank you. Have a lovely holiday with your new family member.
Mm, I will see what he wants to do – he was a stray so won’t keep him in if it’ll make him miserable but I’ll see how bothered he is about going outside as I don’t want him to wander off either! If he doesn’t come back when called he’s NOT going out though. I’m not gonna lose this kitty! How’re you anyway?
I’m well! The daily jabs are a pain in the butt, but if they’re helping I can’t really complain. We’re going to relaunch the blog sometime soon (well, as soon as I get round to sketching, since we’re aiming for that artsy-writerly combo). Life is busy and very full. We’ll be moving at the end of next summer but don’t know where yet (CB is going on interviews in January)…will keep you posted!
Sounds good! I do check your blog from time to time, in vain of course!
So happy for you. What a great Christmas present.
I know!
[...] a t-shirt off the radiator and sat on it, visited the windowsill in the spare bedroom and licked Max’s [...]