Joy to Our World

Blog soundtrack:

Did you read about this in the newspaper today?!

Nantucket, Alaska (AP) – Fierce and Psycho Cycling Chick, Inc. announced today the hiring of Plume, a 7-month-old Maine Coon kitten, formerly of Metrowest Animal Awareness Society Inc.

Plume begins her duties as Vice President of Human Relations on Tuesday. Plume brings to this position her love of people and cat toys, her ability to purr loudly, and her persuasiveness (i.e., butting her head against your hand to request more patting). Welcome aboard, Plume! Live long and prospurr. ♥

When we went to pick her up, the shelter organizer had me sign some paperwork and then asked me for my adoption donation of $150. She then said quickly, “It's tax deductible!” I said that was nice to know, and if and when she figured out how I could claim any of my pets as dependents each year to let me know.

Plume has set up her temporary “office” in Nathan’s room, where she’ll stay for a few days until she familiarizes herself with the Employee Manual. I think she’s on the Conduct Chapter now.

1. Sleeping is required while on the job.
2. Harassment, especially in the form of purring and lap sitting, is encouraged.
3. Coughed-up hairballs are expected, though appreciated only when they are left in highly visible areas so they do not unexpectedly meet bare feet.

The meet-and-greet with fellow employees, Thunderbolt and Liam was a mixed bag in that it had them both asking, “Who let this cat out of the bag?” Thunderbolt walked up to Plume, sniffed her nose, and walked off. Liam glared at her, hissed, and then hid under Nathan’s TV stand. I went to pick him up, and he was shaking. Apparently, unlike Monty, the big dog in the little fur coat, Liam is the little scaredy cat in the big fur coat!

Iz has already started to construct Plume’s family tree by asking the following questions:
“Who were Plume’s parents?”
“Is she Liam’s sister now?”
“Can Monty be her brother even if he’s a dog?”

Both Nathan and Iz spent the afternoon in Plume’s office overseeing the New Hire Orientation. I overheard Nathan telling Iz to let Plume go under the bed when she needed too and to be as gentle as possible. When Plume came out, Nathan would put her in Iz’s lap. When I peeked in, Iz was gently stroking Plume and telling her in a whisper, “Everything is going to be okay.”



Oddly, the scene reminded me of something I wrote about my siblings and myself when caring for my father before he died. “In Jack, I see a pragmatic wisdom, and in Julie, as she rubbed my Dad’s head and talked so gently to him, a nurturing compassion that would have made my mother so proud, and in myself, I find a responsible ebullience.” And today, that scene replayed in my head.

For the first time, I saw my children working together to care for something they loved. In Nathan, I saw a pragmatic wisdom and in Iz I saw a nurturing compassion, which made me so proud of both of them. History does indeed repeat itself; and today, I was elated to see some good history repeating itself right before my very eyes. ♥