I’ll have ideas from time to time. They’re usually good. Sometimes it can be difficult to express a really good idea, any genius will tell you this. The spring of 2007 was such an occasion.
I sat curled up on the sofa watching our cat lounge on the balcony taking in the warm breeze of a sunny afternoon.
Balcony time had taken on the importance of food and water for him. Add to that, the discovery of birds and an overhead view of small rabbits in the courtyard and you had a truly happy carnivore.
If a little joy is good, isn’t a lot better?
Starting in the morning, Beanty would walk to the edge of the balcony, poke his head between the metal bars, his front half teetering dangerously. This followed by a frozen stance. Then the chittering would begin. This would go on throughout the day followed by extended naps.
I began to wonder how nice it would be to see him enjoying more of the outdoors. And if he wanted to chase down, cheetah style, one of those small rabbits or at least try, why not?
I rationalized my idea to leash train Beanty. “A cross country drive is a long time for a cat to be cooped up in car,” I said to Patrick.
He sat at the table looping the body of a fly he was tying. “Uh-huh.”
“What do you say we teach him how to walk on a leash?”
He closed his eyes and dropped his head. “You want to take the cat for walk? And, you’re serious.” He looked at me.
“Beanty? I’m saving my 9 lives Beanty? Safety Beanty? Wouldn’t be prudent Beanty?” He stared at me squinting.
“We could walk him on days like this. He would grow used to new sounds and the feeling of cement so when we took breaks at rest stops we could take him for a walk.”
There was an element of the fantastic to the idea but it was my idea and I was going for it. He’d just have to get on board.
To be continued…
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