The Morning Routine
Teal is away. Until he returns, Pussycat is staying with us. Pussycat and I have a new routine now. In the evenings he sleeps downstairs on the armchair in the living room. In winter it is still dark at five o’clock in the morning. Perhaps the world is just stirring. All is quiet. The first thing I do in the morning when I wake up, is go downstairs and pour myself a cup of tea. Pussycat hears my footsteps and waits for me at the foot of the steps. He purrs and rubs himself against my ankles in greeting. He follows me into the kitchen, hops on the countertop and watches me as I pour myself a cup of tea and heat it in the microwave. He follows me up the stairs and patiently waits for me to settle down in the armchair. When I do, he climbs into my lap. I cover him in a little blanket. He snuggles into it and falls asleep. I lean back and sip my tea as I read. I too fall asleep. When I wake up, a weak sun greets me outside my window. A new day has begun…