Diary #484

I got my cat Sheena in 1984, and after she passed away in 2000 I couldn’t bear to feel as though I was replacing her, so I waited four years until I was ready for Friday. But when she died in 2015, I realized that my current situation precluded getting another kitty even if I wanted to; my apartment is just too small to avoid litterbox odor, some clients might be allergic, and I travel too often for too long at a time.  But I do love animals, so I greet and talk to and pet and play with any who come nearby and appear inclined to interact.  While I’m out at Sunset, Grace’s cat Aeryn spends a lot of time next to me; we lived together most of the time from 2002 until 2014, so I think she misses me and wants to visit whenever she can.  A year or so ago she even came to lie down with me while I was deeply stoned in my bed, and I think it helped to make it an especially-nice trip.  Well, the last time I stayed at Liz Brown’s place in August, her younger cat Gemini made friends with me, but the older Esme is a bit snobbier (in the way only cats can be) and therefore wanted nothing to do with me.  So imagine my surprise (not to mention that of my host & hostess) when, on my recent visit, Esme not only let me pet her, but allowed me to pick her up and take a photo (this was the best I could do left-handed).  And since animals tend to be good judges of character, I’m going to take that as a high compliment.