Wednesday, Jun. 27, 2007 - 12:15 a.m.
Is that Your cat?
******************
I went over to the house
that said they have a
red haired stray cat hanging around
they left for work early
but would leave the garage door open
I was invited to just come on in
and inspect the leftover cats
see if any of them were Jinky
I went over this morning
and walked into their garage
it was eerie
somebody at that house
is a smoker
a very dirty and
and anti social thing
to be in 2007
they were set up to relax in for
they had a complete smokers lounge out there
in social isolation land
padded chair
little coffee table
ashtray
tin of smokes'
lighter
magazine with a bookmark
they intended to finish
at the next opportunity
some empty pop cans
and a little TV on an old dresser
all very nice but no Jinky
I left a note announcing
i had been there and left
A nosy neibour squinted at me
and asked if they could help me
I said no thanks I was looking for my cat
a red one have they seen it ?
No they hadn't
and they let me know
the garage i just emmerged from
was owned by people
who worked shifts
they won't be back till late tonight
ya thanks goof.. i will be right back
with a forklift and steal rheir ashtray
day rolls past
I get home tonight to a phone message
from a creaky voiced older lady
who tells me she has Jinky there
' he is at her house sleeping
she fed him scraps
he seemed hungry
now he is asleep
amasing play by play
over the phone
of Jinky sleeping
I go over there
and her old husband
is watering the driveway
oblivious to me walking past him
to knock at the door
lady peers at me through the curtain
and opens the door
I ask if Jinky is there?
she tells me he was
but he wanted outside
so she let him out
i ask her husband if he has seen a red kitten
he answered as if he was
a million miles away
no cats, no cats today
Then I go to Tim Hortons
to enjoy their air conditioning and read
my show notes in comfort
I see ben sitting there
and say hey
he says hey
I recognise the girl he is with
she was the drunk girl
from the spring
who found Jinky at Tims and let him sleep in her then boyfriends car as they made out
then Ben phoned me at midnight
ben seems to have taken posession of her
and the old BF is nowhere to be seen
she is joined by her friend
who is introduced to me
as the guy with the cool little red cat that girls exclaims" OMG-
are you the guy on the phone today?"
I don't know if I was and said so'
" Did you come over to my house today
and leave a note saying you were there
and that your cat wasn't?"
yes I did
" that is _so hilarious that you were there and the cat wasn't usually he's there,,"
and i am niot usually there, right?
"exactly!"
and then she whips out her cellphone
and calls her Mom
to tell her
"Mom, Mom guess what? guess whos right here? the guy who was in the garage today looking foree his cat,, the one who left the note.
.ya its him totally random.."
I asked if her Mom was in the garage smoking lounge at that precise moment
"I guess SOOOOO...." she wailed
" She's always there, every night
. doesnt even come in the house
except to go to bed"
- Even in winter? I ask"
" EVEN in winter.."
-so who lives in the house? I ask
"Me and my sister" she confesses
-Is she the voice on the answering machine?
" YES YES SHE IS SO INSANE ! "
I ask if she is a little kid or just pretending to be a little kid
" NO she is a real little kid. shes eight "
- shes pretty funny
"SHES HILARIOUS!
and its so awesome that you know all this ,
how do you know all this?
Are you stalking me? "
- oh no, nothing like that
i have to gather all the facts
when i am searching for my cat
its just the way it is.
" You should take that cat,
you know hes a good cat.,
we have four already
we don't need another one"
I mention that I am committed
to the one Ialready have
and he's just fine
one guy / one cat is how i operate
not one guy/ any other number of cats
including zero..
"Awe thats so cute"
I leave before she starts stalking me
and go home by a circuitous route
in case she is considering it
When I get home Jinky
is in the driveway
I let him in
and feed him when hes done'
i pet him
and let him parade himself
on my desk I wobnder what the other red cat is doing tonight?
is he watching tv
with a chain smoking Mom
in a lonely garage ??
