By Monday afternoon all three cats were very worried. The yarn lady had come every day and spent time reassuring the Peep that she was loved and cared for. She fed them and then lay on the couch for Peep to crawl on and get love, and catered to Rudy’s inflated ego. Sunday afternoon Miss Rudy had held up the yarn lady’s departure by standing at the door not going in, then going in and immediately coming out and then demanding love. Rudy thought the yarn lady was nice, but awfully gullible. The yarn lady, on the other hand, thought Rudy was just being a prima donna.
LT and Rudy met in the kitchen to evaluate the food situation. There were only another four cans on the shelves, and what would happen if they ran out? Would the yarn lady go and buy more food? That was the job of the Mommy or the Daddy - not the yarn lady!
Rudy looked at LT and said,” “Pottawattamie is looking better every day, LT. Wouldn’t you love to live somewhere that cats are so highly valued?”
“Whatever do you mean, Rudy?” asked LT. “Cats are valued everywhere. Even dogs know that we’re the pinnacle of creation!”
“No – people in Pottawattamie so value their cats that there are special holidays every month for cats, and cats have better birthday parties than people! Instead of stupid dog parks there are salons where cats go for brushing and massages. Oh, and the taxes go for buying cat beds and catnip for every cat in town.”
Rudy would have gone in indefinitely but LT stopped her with a snort.“Rudy, I think you’ve been eating catnip yourself. Where did you hear about this place?” LT shook his head.
“Oh, the gray horse told me all about it when I used to live at the barn. He said it was paradise for cats and that I should try to go live there.” Rudy’s eyes were almost misting with thoughts of Pottawattamie.
LT fell over laughing. “Either the gray horse was trying to get rid of you or he was pulling your tail, Rudy. I know all about Pottawannamie and it’s nothing like that. It’s a place where every family has three cats, and none of the cats are ever neutered. Everyone loves the kittens and they all go to nice homes. Older cats are revered for their wisdom, even by the people.”
Now it was Rudy’s turn to fall over laughing. “You must be kidding, LT. That sounds like a kitty tail that your mother told you.”
“Well, excuse me, Miss Rudy goody-goody! My mother did tell me about Pottawannamie but not as a story! LT’s claws were out, digging into the kitchen floor. How dare Miss Rudy insult his mother!
Neither cat had noticed Peep come into the kitchen. She simply sat down and looked at both of them. “You’re both wrong, you know. The Pottawattamie were an Indian tribe, in Iowa. I believe. When the government said that all the Indians had to go west to a reservation the Pottawannamie were worried about how they would get their livestock there safely. They planned and packed very carefully to make sure they had enough food for them. Their cats were treated best of all. There were special baskets on the horses for the cats to ride in and plenty of good food.”
Rudy and LT looked at Peep as though she’d sprouted an extra head.
“Where did you get that outlandish story from?” asked LT.
“The History Channel of course,” Peep answered smugly. “All cats want to live somewhere that they are valued as much as the Pottawattamie did their cats. It’s basically the same idea as the stories you both told, although Rudy, I think you made some of yours up. Everyone wants to be special to someone and have their needs provided for, or at least be able to provide for themselves and be valued for it. It’s simple!”
Peep wandered back to the living room and curled up on a favorite chair. Rudy and LT looked at each other.“You know, she’s probably right, LT,” said Miss Rudy. “Even if the story isn’t exactly right, what we were saying was the same thing. And I did make up part of mine.”
“Sometimes Peep can be so deep, and other times she has the attention span of a gnat.” LT dug into the crunchie food and Rudy joined him.
LT and Rudy met in the kitchen to evaluate the food situation. There were only another four cans on the shelves, and what would happen if they ran out? Would the yarn lady go and buy more food? That was the job of the Mommy or the Daddy - not the yarn lady!
Rudy looked at LT and said,” “Pottawattamie is looking better every day, LT. Wouldn’t you love to live somewhere that cats are so highly valued?”
“Whatever do you mean, Rudy?” asked LT. “Cats are valued everywhere. Even dogs know that we’re the pinnacle of creation!”
“No – people in Pottawattamie so value their cats that there are special holidays every month for cats, and cats have better birthday parties than people! Instead of stupid dog parks there are salons where cats go for brushing and massages. Oh, and the taxes go for buying cat beds and catnip for every cat in town.”
Rudy would have gone in indefinitely but LT stopped her with a snort.“Rudy, I think you’ve been eating catnip yourself. Where did you hear about this place?” LT shook his head.
“Oh, the gray horse told me all about it when I used to live at the barn. He said it was paradise for cats and that I should try to go live there.” Rudy’s eyes were almost misting with thoughts of Pottawattamie.
LT fell over laughing. “Either the gray horse was trying to get rid of you or he was pulling your tail, Rudy. I know all about Pottawannamie and it’s nothing like that. It’s a place where every family has three cats, and none of the cats are ever neutered. Everyone loves the kittens and they all go to nice homes. Older cats are revered for their wisdom, even by the people.”
Now it was Rudy’s turn to fall over laughing. “You must be kidding, LT. That sounds like a kitty tail that your mother told you.”
“Well, excuse me, Miss Rudy goody-goody! My mother did tell me about Pottawannamie but not as a story! LT’s claws were out, digging into the kitchen floor. How dare Miss Rudy insult his mother!
Neither cat had noticed Peep come into the kitchen. She simply sat down and looked at both of them. “You’re both wrong, you know. The Pottawattamie were an Indian tribe, in Iowa. I believe. When the government said that all the Indians had to go west to a reservation the Pottawannamie were worried about how they would get their livestock there safely. They planned and packed very carefully to make sure they had enough food for them. Their cats were treated best of all. There were special baskets on the horses for the cats to ride in and plenty of good food.”
Rudy and LT looked at Peep as though she’d sprouted an extra head.
“Where did you get that outlandish story from?” asked LT.
“The History Channel of course,” Peep answered smugly. “All cats want to live somewhere that they are valued as much as the Pottawattamie did their cats. It’s basically the same idea as the stories you both told, although Rudy, I think you made some of yours up. Everyone wants to be special to someone and have their needs provided for, or at least be able to provide for themselves and be valued for it. It’s simple!”
Peep wandered back to the living room and curled up on a favorite chair. Rudy and LT looked at each other.“You know, she’s probably right, LT,” said Miss Rudy. “Even if the story isn’t exactly right, what we were saying was the same thing. And I did make up part of mine.”
“Sometimes Peep can be so deep, and other times she has the attention span of a gnat.” LT dug into the crunchie food and Rudy joined him.
Photo courtesy of taro416 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kissoflife/433226451/
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We love the Peep, LT, and Miss Rudy in our family
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