Revolving Doors – PJ

Whether from rain or Halloween prep or recovering from post 9-0 Game 2 delirium, it’s ghostly quiet when I arrive at Maddie’s. (And a welcome respite from dodging around candidates at transit stations and the drone of robo calls; want a sure winning initiative? – ban those calls!)

Anyway, I settle in with PJ, a big, soft, fluffy all black 7 year old long hair fellow. He’s part cuddly, part independent, and all handsome. Smart too – there’s a bungie cord holding his door shut because he knows how to open it. This is an infrequent but not unheard of talent at the shelter. Rumor has it that one cat awhile back not only opened his own door, but also that of a buddy cat across the hall.

But PJ’s content to crawl across my lap, play for a bit, and have a snack. He remains alert for noises coming from the hall though. Probably plotting his next move.

I chat with a young couple who are just looking around. They’re cat lovers but not allowed to have pets in their apartment. Another pair hurry through the halls as though on deadline, barely glancing at the cats.

Several longer time residents are in new condos, a strategy to get them noticed. Tortie girl Daisy surprises me by pawing vigorously on her door when I approach. She hops on my lap with a friendly nuzzle, and dances around rubbing and purring, before dashing after a toy for a play session. This new brighter condo seems to have brightened her outlook.

Across the hall, pretty tabby Archie is roused from his nap, and watches the toy intently from his door. He’s a small 5 year old brown tabby, a "love bug," an endearing combo of shy and affectionate. He perches on my lap with a concerned expression, sniffing around. Then he settles down and purrs while he awaits a play session of his own. Hopefully he won’t be here long enough to need to be shifted around.

Meantime I’m looking forward to the long last end of this election season, and a victory for Boxer and the rest… and hoping the tea party folks have stumbled far enough to the extreme/ hypocritical right on their own. (Gotta ask: if a bunch of rabid anti-government people do get elected, will they fire themselves as part of the problem next time around?)