My son’s cat “Spock” just jumped up onto my desk, commanding attention. As required by the International Declaration of Feline Rights, I immediately stopped what I was doing and petted Spock, telling him what a great kitty he was and thanking him for the gift of his love to my son Ben and the gift of his friendship to the rest of us who he tolerates.
A friend, who helps out with my work, and I had a spat yesterday morning. After a pleasant morning in court I had arrived at the office and it appeared my friend was looking for a fight and, after several lame attempts to ward it off, I joined in the fray. I think Spock jumped up on my desk to remind me of the gift of love and friendship which my friend is to me. Cats are like that, Spock especially.
Spock unconditionally loves my son, Ben. We adopted Spock from a no-kill shelter. Spock got his name from a kitty at my old vet’s office who Ben liked. Spock spent nearly all of his first several weeks in his new environs solely with my son. Ben fed Spock. Ben helped clean Spock’s litter box which was in Ben’s bedroom. Ben put out water for Spock. Ben hugged the little guy relentlessly. I still get the hugest kick out of the bundle of cat and boy I see almost nightly as the two of them sleep together peacefully. When it thunders and Ben is scared, I’ll awaken to a little boy snuggled up to my back with Spock on his shoulder, and the hind quarters of a kitty on my head, sometimes in my face. (Ben says he taught the cat to do that!). When Ben is a pickle to Spock, sometimes I’ll tell Ben that I’ll make Spock my cat friend. Spock doesn’t mind, he’s getting attention from his Benny. Benny says; “No! I love Spock!” And the two of them go back to playing “Spock darts” where Spock leaps up (he hit six feet up the other day!) to knock down Nerf darts from the window or door where Ben has shot them, or one of the other games they have invented to play together. No matter what Benny does, Spock loves him.
I love my friend. I’m responsible for the spat and what I said. I have to clean up my mess. I’m going to take the coaching from the cat, and call my friend to apologize and thank her for the gift of her love and the gift of her friendship of some 33 years. That darned cat!
