New Years Eve With Pussycat
Last night, New Year’s Eve, the hours seemed to drag on and on. It was only about nine o’clock when I began to weary. Silence echoed from every nook and cranny of the house. I had watched several programs on Netflix, but how much of that could one watch? The classical radio station was doing its usual countdown of the year’s most popular music. Normally I enjoyed that very much. Somehow last night all I felt was utmost loneliness. I am cat sitting Pussycat while Teal went back to visit his parents for the Christmas holidays. I called Pussycat, but cats being temperamental, he chose not to answer. Slowly I trudged up to bed. Before I got ready for bed, I went from room to room softly calling him. He was no where to be seen. I did not worry, he was somewhere in the house. When I got into bed, I promptly fell asleep.
At two in the morning I sat up in bed with a start! My heart was pounding uncontrollably. In my sleep, I recalled that earlier in the evening I had stepped outside to dispose of the garbage. Was it possible that he had crept out and I had not noticed? He is a pampered house cat. He has no idea how to defend himself! As I hurriedly put on my dressing gown and bedroom slippers, I kept muttering to myself, “I need this like I need a hole in my head! Children! Grandchildren! They are going to be the death of me!” As I hurried downstairs, I kept praying that Pussycat was alive and well. How could I tell my Teal I was negligent and night stalking animals had hurt Pussycat? What kind of irresponsible grandmother was I?
As I headed towards the back door, I remembered that I had also gone into the basement. Before going outside, perhaps I should take a peek there. I opened the basement door and there he was, sitting on the top stairs. He looked at me reproachfully.
“Meow,” he uttered. “How could you do this to me?”
Until daybreak I held him to me and crooned to him, one of the duties of being Grandma.
I wish you all a very Happy New Year.