The pads of her paws made a rhythmic cadence on the wood as she made her way down
the dark hall with a swiftness that defied both her advanced years and the 30-something
pounds of calico fur, the size and shape of a bed pillow, but with a lump – a bulge
beneath her great berth that was only visible when she moved on all fours as she was
now. The old girl knew where she was going and the extraordinary effort to get there
was no matter. Not now. Like the lone lighthouse to the lost and weary at sea, the light
emanating from the open door just ahead, the one door that was open only at night, and to
her, gave rise to hope, and as if renewed by it, she was compelled to keep moving, to
prevail over the otherwise exhausting, protracted venture.
Crossing over the threshold onto the sand-colored cushy carpet was an invitation to stop
and flop, no R.S.V.P needed. Lying prone is what she did all day, albeit on cold tile or
wood, stiff against her achy mass. This was different. She could have surrendered then
and there to the enveloping soft fibers of the favored floor and, had she done so, her
splayed body would have somehow become lighter, like one might imagine a body
becomes before it levitates. She could then have stayed there forever, or least until,
invariably, her Human appeared, knelt, and hand-shoveled her upright and out the door
again.
But such would have been the end. And not what she wanted. Perching her hindquarters
into a seated-sphinx pose, she took note of her Human, L-shaped and two feet higher than
eye-level from where she now sat, and waiting, surely -- for her! She hesitated,
momentarily mustering the verve to go the extra mile. In the next instant, she heaved her
massive body up, and using all fours that included but a single set of rear claws, she
artfully entreated the goose-down comforter to her advantage, and with all the aplomb of
an arctic walrus hoisting onto an iceshelf, successfully boarded the bed.
Her head high and erect, eyes the size of shooter marbles, looked all-knowing into her
human’s eyes while several moments passed. She sprawled then, and began softly head-
butting her human’s right hand …
[Translated: The cat went down the hall, into the room and jumped on the bed for
some human attention]
