Monday, May. 21, 2007 - 12:20 a.m.
Raver Cat
************
I had a wonderful 48 hrs being visited
finally by artist friends
no hassles, all ideas are go go go
we took her new camera out in the car
and took turns shooting off
our imaginations
like Victoria Day sky rockets
bonfire early jump on the season corn roast
cheerful tea kettle on the hot embers
pooled funds brought us
one small imported watermelon
all more funner than usual
right mood
right light
to be hunting coyotes
amongst the dandilions
with a 10 MP Pentax
chasing double rainbows
hanging over the mighty Niagara falls
snapped from a speeding car
Sneering at the Evil City
from the comfort of a grocery laddenToyota
walk the cemetary decked in aromatic lilacs
snapping close ups of the wild Strawberry flowers winking from behind the collossal stumps
waving goodbye to the wood violets
then home to make Thai red curry
and eat it outside
first outdoor meal of the season
under the heavens
though it was sunny and lush
it was way too cold to be comfortable
global warming has definately not arrived here
Jinky was so delighted
at all the attention he received
and the plus of an extra
full wall of mechanical noise
of a whining throaty rototiller
churning up this own backyard
all day Saturday
as he watched from behind
the pre arranged safety
of the sliding glass door
,Screaming machinery,
flying sod divits
happy cool strangers coming and going
he was so excited a bout the chaos circus
on his own turf
he hardly touched his food
As we said goodbye to our guests at dark
Jinky stealthed up and jumped into their car
a stow away in the back window
how cute
but how unwise
so as my laughing guests
packed up their bedding
by trunklight
I slipped inside
and grabbed a fresh glowstick
and some scotch tape
and fashioned a cat collar
so Jinky would glow in the dark
and we could easily see
...in the dark
if he was playing on the lawn
or approaching the getaway car
for a second attempt at unauthorised boarding
between the three of us
Jinky is picked up
properly cuddled
and fitted with the novelty collar
ha ha ha
the glow in ther dark raver cat
there he goes
here he comes
we are laughing pretty hard
but Jinky is not happy wearing
this Imperialist necklace
of luminous betrayal
so he fidgits comically to remove it
and iattempts to wrestle it off
and in the process of doing so
bites down onto
the glowing plastic
-Out squirts the glow fluid
all over his chest and paws
and as we look on in shock
he begins to spit glow fluid
out on the driveway
luminous droplets
smeared on his nose and lips
SOS ...Save JINKY ...SOS
I grab the collar and pull it
over his head and toss it away
as he runs around in dark night energy
trailing glowing fluids from his mouth
It was creepy
I was very alarmed
wondering if he was suffering
a chemical burn he couldn't tell us about
or if he was just his regular insane self
' but much easier to moniter
on a dark night
I chase him with a kleenex
to see if he is OK
as my wise friends run inside
to read the health warning
on the glow stick package
" - non toxic " they call out--
its not exactly comforting news
To be sure-
to be sure
about being sure
I take a few nervous licks myself
from the dripping glow stick collar
to see what it tastes like
to get a better idea of what
Jinky is going through
from a burst glow stick
going off in his mouth
this sort of valuable insight
is not available on the internet
this sort of special knowledge
is only earned by the experience
of actually eating a leaking glow sticks
Non toxic perhaps-
but not what I would call ... tasty
weirdly greasy
running around in the dark
spitting it out seems like a fine idea
Jinky at this point is rather upset
and will not come near me
the author of his sudden distress
Still,,, no toxic reaction in my own mouth
the collar eerily glowing off by itself
exiled on the edge of driveway
I worry that Jinky hates me for tricking him
I can't actually see him
but I can hear him running
across a few dry leaves
as i approach him
he ignores me
as he is chasing some bug or stray leaf
none the worse for wear
He is fine;' I can relax
wave to my worried guests
chain smoking in their parked car
wondering if Jinky & me
are dying terrible deaths
from acute radiation poisoning
I pick him up and carry him towards their car
Jinky begins to merrily bite me
all this crazy action is exactly his sort of fun
and as I wave to my guests
who face a three hours drive
in the moonless night
I scoop up the fallen collar
still glowing
that eerie safety orange
in the dark
and pass it to them through a
mere slit of an open window
so as not to give Jinky
a chance to jump inside their car
Instead he wiggles atound in my arms
swatting at my hoodie strings
"here" -I teased " keep this
we are pretty much done
with glow in the dark
stuff for tonight "
..."Its still leaking..." they whisper...
" what if it actually is , you know.....radioactive? "
" Then I guess we all die "
ha ha ha be sure to call if your hair falls out
Two hours have passed
Jinky is alseep in his box of towels
none of his fur has fallen out
I needed a trim anyway
