Sunday, October 12, 2014

Wrangler Wanted: Murphy's Morning Rodeo

Dear Applicant:  This is a seven mornings a week position and you must be an early riser.  The rodeo generally starts at 6:10 a.m.  You will not need to rely upon an alarm clock as the thud of pounding feet (four per animal) plus the caterwauling of one of the senior cats will easily rouse you.  Incidentally I now know the origins of the word "caterwauling." 

The Murphy Morning Rodeo is comprised of two 12 year old female cats (Streak and Minuit) and one 10 month old male kitten.  (Fred)  Due to the vast difference in their ages, they might as well be located on separate planets.

With youth's brimming vitality, Fred hits the kitchen looking for kibble bits.  He has a growing animal's fondness for FOOD AND RIGHT NOW!

The Ladies are much more traditionally catlike with a sniff here; a mouthful there and then retiring to consider "Another bite?  Or a bath ... hmmm."  Consequently while they are pre-occupied with these deep questions, Fred is at their food bowls, eating like a super-charged snow plow. 

The Ladies (as usual) have decided on a pre, pre-morning nap.  But Fred wants to play!  So he marches off to the pre-morning nap spot and annoys Streak until she can't stand it and starts growwwling like a deranged thing.  She displays an impressive range in scale use and volume.   Minuit, well acquainted with Fred from the backyard (and weighs 8 lbs. more) doesn't have to say anything.  He knows to leave her alone. 

Streak though hates him and he knows it.  This is the kitten in him - he simply can't resist teasing her.

Meanwhile, below stairs, the lady of the house has just given up on another half-hour of blessed silence (and therefore sleep) and gets up grumpily.

You can see that we need you desperately for the morning feeding/rodeo.  We can discuss salary in the afternoon as I am vulnerable in the morning and might possibly say, "$100 a day!  For God's sake, shut them up!"

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