Bindi Shah
Ooh that was a good stretch. It reached all my parts.
Ooh hooman is putting on the screen. Ooh I see the squares. Hmmm who is there? I remember that funny head, and that funny voice. Oh I see the black and white of Oscar – oh he looks good.
Look at me Oscar, I’m here, I’m here. Move over hooman, I’m trying to be seen.
Ooh Misty – my ears prick up – who is calling me? Oh it’s only the funny voice. Not interested. I see some grey on a lap. Oh look it’s Herbie already settling into his lap. Who else is here? I see Smudge moving over the screen, and then going into the blur. Oh the other grey is there.
“Hey Kipo, it’s me Misty.”
He is on top of the chair and I can see he wants to go out. He’ll never settle. The squares are off. Oh, let me settle in, I need a good nap.
The squares come on again. Ooh, Ooh, what’s going on? The funny voice showing something, hooman talking. Oh the dogs.
“Hey Misty, the dogs are here.”
“Yes I can see, Oscar.”
“Kiki, Smudge - the dogs are here. Tiger, Susie – dogs.”
“I think everyone can see them, Oscar.”
“Oh no, the dogs.”
“It’s ok Kiki, it’s old lady Molly.”
“Oh Tiger, you’re used to dogs, you have one at home.”
“Oh look, it’s the naughty kittens, Misty and Willow.”
“Yes, the one who has my name.”
“When my brother Otis was around, there was also Meg and Mog. They were in that same square.”
“Yes, I know.”
“You do not know Kiki, your hooman hadn’t started the squares then. Are you even allowed in the space when she does the screen? What are you doing there?”
“She wanted my cuddles.”
“Yes, cuddles…” there is a lot of purring as all agree that cuddles are the best.
“Ooh Ami is here - look at me Ami, don’t I look good?”
“Oh Oscar, you’re making a fool of yourself, she’s not interested.”
“Oh you’re jealous, Misty.”
“Of a dog? No way.”
“Isn’t there another dog which looks like Ami?”
“Yes, that’s Scala.”
“Why are you talking so loud Oscar? Now your hooman has put the sound off, I can’t hear you.” Misty sighs.
“Well, you can see me can’t you?”
The square goes off. Another sigh from Misty, “I can’t see you now.”
“Why do the hoomans stop our fun? They are so serious,” says Grace.
“Why can’t they have fun, like us?” asks Otis, the dog.
“They’ve forgotten how to have fun,” answers Smudge.
“They’ve been through a lot in life, and have forgotten that every day is new. We never forget that.”
“Every day is a new day to start again.” Yes, it is. All heads nod and the purring continues.
“We must make sure our hoomans don’t forget too. We need new cuddles everyday. Hmmm new cuddles for a new day,” says Ami.
“A new day where new things can happen,” agrees Grace.
“Like new dinners, and new toys”, says Scala.
“The dogs are always thinking of toys.” notes Susie. “Well, I know Leela does anyway. I’m not an expert in other dogs.”
“We are experts in being in the moment though,” says Kipo. ‘My hooman says that to me: I am in the moment.”
“My hooman says that too,” says Herbie with a chuckle.
“Being in the moment is good,” says Willow. “Yes it is,” agrees kitten Misty.
“I like to think I am teaching you well,” says grown Misty.
“Fun, being in the moment, having every day for new cuddles. This is the way. Why do they need these screens anyway, they have us and we can teach them.”
“We do teach them,” says Scala. “Remember the way we teach them to let go?”
“Oh my goodness, they are always holding on.”
“Letting go is one of life’s lessons,” the old cat Kruger comes in to funny voice’s screen.
“Oh look it’s the one who is no longer here. She is so beautiful and wise,” Misty whispers.
“I see Samson behind funny voice too, watching over her,” an excited Oscar says.
“There is a lot of hurt and pain which you are holding onto. Unless you are willing to fully let go, you cannot heal.” Kruger booms out.
They all look in awe. We have the potential to be so wise too, and to show the way for our hoomans.
“I miss my Otis, but always feel him with me,” says Oscar.
“Yes, it is the same with Jester. He is always around,” says Ami.
“I love it when Meg and Mog show us something we haven’t seen before,” agree Misty and Willow.
“We must remind our hoomans that even though the others are no longer here, they are watching over them. There are so many caring for them from the other side of the rainbow bridge.”
“YES”, they all say in unison, and fall quiet.
“The other hoomans love us too, the ones without a furry in their house. Sometimes it isn’t possible to have a furry.” grown Misty notes wisely.
“Are we still with this funny voice? What about the other funny voice, when is that?”
“Do you mean the book one? That’s tomorrow.”
“Will you come for that?”
“If my hooman comes home in time, plus I’ll need my dinner first.”
“Oh who said dinner?” Leela’s ears prick up.
“I get my dinner after these squares.”
“Well it’s lunch for me, I’m in a different country.”
“I’m in the same country as you, Leela, in Merry-Ka,” points out Otis.
“I get second dinner.”
“Well you would Oscar, you’re extra special.”
“So are you Misty, so are all of us.”
“Yes, we all are.”
“We are so, so special.”
“Oh the squares are going to go off,” Misty says, “I can feel it.”
“Oh, oh, bye everyone, bye, bye, bye.”
The squares disappear, the screen goes off.
“Ok, shall we get your second dinner then?”
Purr… purr… dinner, sleep, being in the moment, fun, letting go.
This is how to live life.
