When I first began spending evenings working on the book, Sir Hal would express his displeasure at being ignored by acting out. Toys in the water dish, laying down on my keyboard, wrapping his little furry self around my ankles and biting my bare feet. And when those didn’t divert my attention from the glowing computer screen, he’d sit in front of my monitor and stare at me.
“Get down, Hal.”
Stare.
“Down!”
Stare. (Turns out, cats don’t blink. Ever.)
It got old pretty quick.
Now, Hal is a charming guy. And not just as cats go. As creatures go. And in his infinite charm, he found a new way in which to get my attention while I’m plucking away at my keyboard at night. He learned to play fetch. It took me several times to realize it was a deliberate action, dropping the little toy mouse on my foot. Distracted, I’d pick it up and toss it into the next room. Scramble, pounce, trot, plop. There it was on my foot again.
We were playing fetch!
The best part of it was that he started this game last week and hasn’t stopped playing. I wake up with the little mouse on my pillow. It’s on the bathmat when I get out of the shower. Plop, it’s at my feet as I’m making dinner. And I laud His Excellency with praise every single time, like it’s the cleverest thing ever to have happened. Forget that dogs have been doing it since the beginning of time. I thinks it’s damn cute. And it won’t get old nearly as quickly as Sit and Stare.
Not speaking of my cat:
In twenty-four hours, I’ll be at JFK, sitting next to Jen saying, “Can you believe we’re doing this?” I know that’s what I’ll be saying, because that’s been the content of our emails for the last several weeks. I’m still feeling thoroughly unprepared. I did stop playing fetch last night long enough to find my passport. That’s a good thing, right?
I have one of those pouches to foil pickpockets. I have train schedules for Spain and Morocco, and thanks to Jen, reservations in both countries. These are all good things.
I have a notebook to journal in, too, which will have to do as a stand-in for the blog. Jen has forbidden me from blogging on our trip. You’ll feel the detox tremors all the way across the Atlantic, I assure you. Benjamin has volunteered to guest-edit (he promises not to write about his album!). We’re working out those details, but even if this page is blank for a week, promise you won’t forget me?
What happens when Stupid & Fancy™ meets foreign and scary? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out. Jen and Heather: Morocco 2004.
Bon voyage and happy travels to you, beloved adventuring Fish!!!!!!
No blogging? None? At all? For how long?
Yeesh.
Have a wonderful time!! See (er, um, read) you when you get back!!
Have fun Fish, you deserve every minute of it. By the way, love the addition of the beautiful pic the “about this fish”. That’s one of those “Damn, I wish I always took pictures like that” portraits.
Have a great time. And I could never forget you! We will all still be here when you get back, eagerly awaiting stories from the trip!
my cat has played fetch since he was a kitten! his favorite toys are beer bottle caps. he stands at my feet every time i open a beer!!!
Any chance of looking up that Spanish ex?
our cats “east and west” gather dust bunnys from the studio and plop them on my desk in exchange for treats. Beats dusting…..
Happy safe journey. talk to strangers.
be prepared to eat at 11 pm
Mothers of Spain – lock up your sons! Have a fabulous trip, and thanks for linking me – youre a doll!
Just to get this straight: you live in NYC, and you bought a special anti-pick-pocket pocket to go abroad? What do you wear walking through Times Square?
Enjoy your trip! : )
And my giant cat Simba, loveslovesloves FETCH tis his favorite game. Athough he sometimes gets lazy and drops the fuzzy mouse (nothing but the small feathery mice will do) just inches out of my reach…
Your post about the cat and the computer made me smile, I am not alone.
have a great trip…of course we won’t forget you…if you get chance go to gibralter and see the monkeys…they are such a hoot…
Happy Trails Fish – we will miss you!
I envy y’all. Enjoy the trip!
Whoa, did I miss something? What book? Did I not say that this Fish needs a book contract? I think I deserve some details.
Have a great time…and when you come back, please let’s resume our bloggermeets.
My cat used to fetch bread bag ties. He would also greet us at the door, very un-cat-like. Have a fabulous time in Morocco. Don’t take any wooden dirham.