GLOVE GONE MISSING
Such a lovely warm and sunny day inspired the washing of all the winter gloves and mitts and hanging them on chairs and tables on the deck, the clothesline already being full with towels and such. It wasn't until I returned from my after- dinner walk that I remembered to gather them up and bring them indoors. One glove was missing. The purple one. Of the favourite pair. I knew who the likely culprit was. So I trotted next door and inquired if the gorgeous orange cat had been up to his old trick of relocating any wool he found on my property to his. Apparently not. A small wooden birdhouse was his latest acquisition but I told him he was welcome to this if he would bring me back my glove. A few minutes later the two ladies of his household were at my front door with the glove. They had checked the back porch and there it was. He was with them and paraded about with that nonchalance that cats have perfectly perfected. After I came indoors with the glove I got to wondering what he was thinking as he came onto the deck, chose this particular glove from many, carried it away. Was it some pure instinct of ownership. I don't think so. Anyone who has given themself up to the pleasure of a cat knows that they do think, that they do not just react. I imagine he sauntered up when he knew I had left the premises, surveyed the wealth of woolies, perhaps leapt onto the table and walked among them before he chose the purple one which had been hanging with its mate on the back of a chair. He must have transported it with care for it was clean and unmarked. And he left in on the porch of his home, did not take it indoors. I wonder what he was thinking. Once, while sitting at the computer, I saw his orange head suddenly peek around the door of the sunroom at me, and when he saw that I had noticed him he made a dash for the basket of wool at the end of the sunroom, grabbed a ball, and ran madly toward the door. I played the game, of course, and gave chase. He dropped the ball on the steps and made his getaway. Then he stopped on the sidewalk and gave some serious attention to a front paw paying my laughter not the slightest notice.