This is Hairy Tux. He is thinking intently about something. In the past year, all he has done is grow up. I believe his meditation must be focused on that.
I don't ordinarily discount physical education. In fact, I have several friends who entered gainful employment as gym-coaches and freelance toilet trainers (doubtless seduced by the glamor of it all) . But I recall those days, deep in another century, when 9th grade choice consisted of gym class or the cacophony of marching band. Although I played 3 --or so--guitar chords, I never mastered the cacophone and took gym. Gym class was full of psychologically isolated boys who exhausted themselves --whose only other exercise was falling in love, even when nobody else was around.A year or more later, we were mobbing the DMV to get our drivers' licenses. Girls were warm, soft and smelled really good but, if boys were foolish enough to ask them out without a driver's license, they were soundly skunked. We mainly just had fun.
Years later, I met a girl in a library and wondered: how could such a perfectly fragrant creature appear under my very nose? I asked the cat, "Is that the sort of thing you're focused on?"
Hairy answered, "No, I'm concentrating on making my white eyebrows grow. It makes me more attractive."
What a delightful write, friend Geo! Very much appreciated ... smiles and purrs. Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteDear Cat, love appreciated and reciprocated. Thanks. I learn a lot from library girl --we're still together over 50 years later. I also learn from Hairy Tux, who's only a year old. All part of the wonder, isn't it?
DeleteThose Jr. High years when nothing made sense except that in gym in the 9th grade, we all knew the girls coach and boys coach had a thing for each other...
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
Dear Sage, are you sure we didn't attend the same school?
DeleteLovely black and white cat! The pensive mood suits him, and makes the photo more attractive.
ReplyDeleteKind Duta, I thoroughly agree and have passed your compliment to the photographer, who thanks you --as do I.
DeleteHairy Tux is very handsome and pensive. I am assuming that he, like the rest of your creatures, is very wise and gives good advice.
ReplyDeleteI find it so lovely that you met Norma in the library. It is so perfect that, you a man of intriguing words, found love among the books.
I hope you are doing well, Geo, and that the fires out there did not pass your way. My daughter and her family were too close and it was a frightening situation. Except for the air, they are doing OK but are very sad for all the loss that their neighbors experienced.
Lovely Arleen, Agreed, Hairy demonstrates far more poise and intellect than I did when I was his age. He also possesses restraint and composure except when trying to kill and eat my other creatures. Treefrogs keep to the roof and eaves --squirrels to the upper terraces of trees.
DeleteAnd yes, I too was glad to find Norma in the library, and check her out. I have ignored all overdue fees and demands for her return.
We are doing well, as I hope your daughter and loved ones are too. My nose runs every time I step outside, but am otherwise ok. Smoke still blankets much of our state. Fire trucks go by every day, but that is usually about prairie fires. We're mainly glad to see the ass-end of August.
When it comes to it we are all concerned with being attractive.
ReplyDeleteDear Emma, admittedly I'm still flattered when carded while buying wine; a minor conceit, but at 70 one appreciates the cashier's kindness.
DeleteLove the cat, hated gym class. I'm small, not athletic and was shy. (not any more)
ReplyDeleteDear Margaret, Understood. Norma was 100 pounds when I met
Deleteand --2 years later-- married her. She is no longer shy, but still quiet, commanding me almost entirely with her eyes. And yes, all through high school she played flute in marching band.
Listen to Hairy Tux. Anyone who spends a lot of time in thought and meditation is someone to pay attention to.
ReplyDeleteI remember one of the trauma's of junior high gym class was climbing the rope. I'd never seen, let alone tried that. And yes, fragrant and warm and soft is vastly superior to teen boys with changing voices!
Dear Tom, Of course I listen and learn from Hairy. He's much closer to the wisdom and ways of the universe than I. But yes, I used to climb that rope, up to the ceiling, down to the floor. Last time was 20 years ago when I still worked for the school district. I was a young boy of 50 and had few limits. Now I would hire someone else to do it. Stay safe and healthy, my friend.
DeleteCats...such vain and spoiled creatures. But we love them anyway.
ReplyDeleteIndeed dear Maddie, but they go through such trials in their lives that we would find hard to endure. Best we can do is offer them ownership to our properties. Home.
DeleteHairy Tux is attractive and his name “suits” him very well. This was a sweet recounting of how you and Norma first meet.
ReplyDeleteDear Beatrice, "'Suits" him'", Delightful. Thanks. Found Norma in the Social Science section. She has almost got me civilized.
DeleteSo that's how one whitens one's eyebrows! Thank you Hairy Tux :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure it works for all species, Lisa. Hairy is only a year old and has whiter eyebrows than I have at 70. I just can't get that focused.
DeleteHairy Tux, with his Buddhist intensity and calm, has the answers to whatever comes up in your life. Since you have learned how to communicate with him, all you have to do is make sure he has enough to eat and a warm place to sleep. Voila!
ReplyDeleteDear Bruce, Hairy is indeed attuned to tremendous operations of the universe, which have funneled down an answer to all problems, challenges and questions in my life: "...enough to eat and a warm place to sleep..." decidedly covers it. With the slight exception of pooping in the potting soil, Hairy and I are indistinguishable.
DeleteWow, you got an exemption from phys ed by doing marching band? My daughter would have loved that.
ReplyDeleteDear Squid, I was never qualified for that choice, but Norma was and took advantage of it. She is a flutist, not a flautist --as I pronounce it. Claims she has never flauted in public.
DeleteHa! I guess we got some PE credit, now that I think of it - not an outright exemption, though. For my daughter, no such luck. Fortunately, ultimate frisbee counts - assuming she ever gets to play again.
DeleteHairy Tux is a good friend to have during these tough times, Geo! I'm glad to see that you you are still here with your wonderful sense of humor. I've not been very good at visiting my blogging friends during this strange summer. I don't know why I'm floundering around so much. It's hard to focus and take care of things I should ~ like checking on you. I keep worrying about you and Norma and hoping that you are okay. The fires in California are horrific, and my heart goes out to everyone who is suffering. Here's hoping Hairy Tux, et al, come through.
ReplyDeleteDear Louise, I've been missing you! Strange summer indeed. Norma and I are okay, although bizarre pressures of this year have threatened to compress us into and under our scalps --in which case I hope we'll be as pretty as Hairy Tux. Your concern is appreciated...and needed.
DeleteJust checking in to see how you are doing. The fires and the smoke out in the west are beyond horrible and I am concerned about you and Norma. I hope you are both safe. As I said to my daughter, now is the time to move to Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThanks, dear Arleen. We're doing the best we can right now. Norma's her energetic self but I'm having problems with copd, which I control with very aerobic panic attacks. I hope your daughter keeps safe. I stay indoors except for occasional "trunk-poppin' shoppin'" --a phrase for which I'm forever grateful to you.
DeleteLots of popping going on all over. It is our way of life now, along with boxes in the mail that contains something wrapped in plastic that is near impossible to open without one or two tools and a few nasty words.
DeleteTake care, dear Geo. You and Norma are in my thoughts.