11 | April | 2016 | Quantum Hermit

Day 9

April 11, 2016

The Irrascible Letter I

IRIS and ICARUS

Once upon a time, there was a cat named Icarus. No, he didn’t fly too close to the sun. Cats can’t fly, for the most part. He could not say how he ended up in the house where he lived, nor could he remember how long it had been. The day that changed it all was the day Iris came to live there.

It was bad enough he had to compete with the elder, Panda.

She always managed to get to the food bowls before him. But now there would be another with which to contend. Iris was timid, of course, in the beginning. He knew all newcomers are when introduced to others of like fur.

In time, Icarus realized that Iris knew her place, and that was good. But the real trouble began when Daddy brought home a new mommy. First Mommy was a really good Mommy. But she went away, and Icarus, Panda and Iris were left just with Daddy. It was tough not having a Mommy, and Daddy was very strict with the food. Just dry food. Just once a day. None of the fur babies knew anything else.

Daddy went away too, for a long while, and someone came in everyday and fed them.

There was a vague familiar jangle as the door was opened and Icarus and Panda and Iris recognized Daddy’s voice. But there was another voice. A soft, and sweet sounding voice.

Each of the kitties hid, in their most favorite spots.

When they were certain that this wasn’t some kind of trick, they emerged.

There was a lot of hustle and bustle and Daddy and the strange, sweet voiced Lady brought bags and what not inside. Panda was the first to brave meeting the new person. She just jumped right up on the couch, and plopped herself down in her usual spot.

“This is your new Mommy, Panda,” Daddy said. Second Mommy was taken with Panda. There was something about her looking just like an Oshi. Icarus wasn’t sure what an Oshi was, but hoped it wasn’t something that would complicate his life any further.

Then, all of a sudden Iris was timidly walking out and Second Mommy waited patiently for her, whispering sweet words with her sweet voice, to Iris. Well, does that seem right to you? Icarus thought. If he was the last one out, Second Mommy would think he was not friendly, and even worse, that he was a scaredy cat. No way was he a scaredy cat.

Still, from his hidey hole, Icarus watched Second Mommy gently patting Iris on her head. He just had to do something.

Acting as if it was no big deal, Icarus appeared at the other end of the room, and there was this silence which came over the room. Everyone was watching. Icarus hated being the center of attention, in that way.

Second Mommy reached out her hand, and called in her beautiful sing song voice his name. “Hello there, beautiful boy, Icarus.” she said. Iris was sitting there, right by her. How would he be able to formally meet her if Iris was there? Walking over, swishing his tail at Iris, Icarus stood waiting to feel her hand on his head. And it was a loving hand, and she smiled, and Icarus knew he made her happy. Taking a bold step, he slowly walked up to Second Mommy, and wound his way between her feet, and around her legs.