It wasn’t until late Friday evening that the Mommy came home from Mary Land, where she worked and lived during the week. She was exhausted, and after a brief hello to David, she headed off to bed and David went back to his RV to sleep. It wasn’t quite as nice without an electric hook-up, but he had battery operated lights to use for those times he had to ‘rough it’. As he fell asleep David thought he’d like to be a fly on the wall for the conversation about the cats going to Pottawatomie. On second thought, he hoped his friend would wait to discuss it with his wife until she had a good night’s sleep. She’d looked pretty cranky when she got home in addition to being exhausted. David was familiar with the exhaustion of driving home after working all week – sometimes he’d drive five or six hours just to be able to get home after a job. His fiancé had learned to just give him a kiss and let him sleep before discussing anything important.
The Daddy wasn’t quite as smart as David hoped he’d be. He got into bed full of the news of his friend’s job in Pottawatomie, and wouldn’t it be great if Rudy and LT went along and finally got to see it for themselves. The Mommy turned and looked at him and said, “You know, it sounds like a fascinating story, but I’ve just had a sixteen hour day, and right now all I can think about is my pillow and the inside of my eyelids. I love you and good night.”
Knowing that any more discussion would be met with silence, or perhaps a discreet snore, the Daddy tried to get to sleep, but the plans for the trip circled around in his head. He gave up after a few minutes and got up quietly. He headed for the office and turned on his computer. How far was Pottawatomie, anyway? A search for it gave him choices in several states, so he looked up Ft. Riley instead on Google Maps, and then clicked on directions from his home in New Jersey. Good grief, it was over a thousand miles to get there. No wonder his friend had said that he was going to break the drive into three days. He looked up the RV park that David had reserved, thinking that the more he knew about this, the more likely he’d be able to convince the Mommy to let LT and Rudy go on the road. One site led to another, and it wasn’t until he realized that it was after 1 am that he turned off the computer and headed back to bed. This time, he fell asleep easily and dreamed of dozens of cats driving RVs, all headed for Kansas.
On Saturday morning, the Daddy slept late and found the Mommy in the kitchen making breakfast. Holding the spatula she asked, “was I dreaming, or did you say something as I was falling asleep about the cats taking a trip to Pottawatomie?” Rudy, hearing that zoomed into the kitchen and sat at the Mommy’s feet. “It’s not even done yet, Rudy Toots. Have some patience,” the Mommy said as she turned the bacon.
While the bacon was cooking, the Daddy described his friend’s job in Kansas, and how he’d offered to take LT and Rudy to their dream destination. As it drained, the Mommy asked a million and one questions (at least it seemed that way to Rudy) about David, the trip and his RV. By this time LT had appeared and the two cats sat patiently as the pros and cons of the trip were discussed. The Mommy was worried that a) one of the cats would get lost, b) they might not want to come home, c) Peep would be lonely and d) David might not be a reliable cat foster parent. At this point David knocked on the back door and the whole discussion began again. The bacon was cold by the time all of the Mommy’s questions were answered to her satisfaction. She’d toured the RV and been shown the cat door, the litter trays and all the comfy places that cats could sleep. Rudy and LT went along and showed their approval by trying out those comfy places and making themselves at home. With four faces (two human and two feline) looking expectantly at her, the Mommy agreed that they could go with David, on the condition that he provide daily email updates, complete with photos. At this, Rudy jumped down and rubbed up against the Mommy’s legs and LT even came close enough for a head scratch. “I’m outnumbered, obviously. You two better behave yourselves and come back to us, you hear?”
By the time the Mommy had returned from feeding the grey horse and cleaning the barn, the Daddy and David had stocked the RV with food and cat litter. Favorite blankets had been chosen to make the cats feel at home and were strategically placed in the spots the cats had chosen to lie on when they’d been in the RV.
Peep lay in the living room, her head on her paws and watched it all. She’d miss LT and Rudy, but most of all she was afraid they would be disappointed when they realized that Pottawatomie wasn’t the place of their dreams. She’d put in her two cents, but they didn’t want to hear the voice of reason. They’d have to see it for themselves. Peep was just a homebody. She’d rather stay with the Daddy and keep him from getting lonesome. She would still have Fuzzy and Loaf Cat to keep her company, not that either were major conversationalists. Plus there were the other neighborhood cats. She wouldn’t suffer while they were gone. Well, at least not too much. And on the plus side, she’d get all the food even if she were asleep when the Daddy put it out.
The Daddy wasn’t quite as smart as David hoped he’d be. He got into bed full of the news of his friend’s job in Pottawatomie, and wouldn’t it be great if Rudy and LT went along and finally got to see it for themselves. The Mommy turned and looked at him and said, “You know, it sounds like a fascinating story, but I’ve just had a sixteen hour day, and right now all I can think about is my pillow and the inside of my eyelids. I love you and good night.”
Knowing that any more discussion would be met with silence, or perhaps a discreet snore, the Daddy tried to get to sleep, but the plans for the trip circled around in his head. He gave up after a few minutes and got up quietly. He headed for the office and turned on his computer. How far was Pottawatomie, anyway? A search for it gave him choices in several states, so he looked up Ft. Riley instead on Google Maps, and then clicked on directions from his home in New Jersey. Good grief, it was over a thousand miles to get there. No wonder his friend had said that he was going to break the drive into three days. He looked up the RV park that David had reserved, thinking that the more he knew about this, the more likely he’d be able to convince the Mommy to let LT and Rudy go on the road. One site led to another, and it wasn’t until he realized that it was after 1 am that he turned off the computer and headed back to bed. This time, he fell asleep easily and dreamed of dozens of cats driving RVs, all headed for Kansas.
On Saturday morning, the Daddy slept late and found the Mommy in the kitchen making breakfast. Holding the spatula she asked, “was I dreaming, or did you say something as I was falling asleep about the cats taking a trip to Pottawatomie?” Rudy, hearing that zoomed into the kitchen and sat at the Mommy’s feet. “It’s not even done yet, Rudy Toots. Have some patience,” the Mommy said as she turned the bacon.
While the bacon was cooking, the Daddy described his friend’s job in Kansas, and how he’d offered to take LT and Rudy to their dream destination. As it drained, the Mommy asked a million and one questions (at least it seemed that way to Rudy) about David, the trip and his RV. By this time LT had appeared and the two cats sat patiently as the pros and cons of the trip were discussed. The Mommy was worried that a) one of the cats would get lost, b) they might not want to come home, c) Peep would be lonely and d) David might not be a reliable cat foster parent. At this point David knocked on the back door and the whole discussion began again. The bacon was cold by the time all of the Mommy’s questions were answered to her satisfaction. She’d toured the RV and been shown the cat door, the litter trays and all the comfy places that cats could sleep. Rudy and LT went along and showed their approval by trying out those comfy places and making themselves at home. With four faces (two human and two feline) looking expectantly at her, the Mommy agreed that they could go with David, on the condition that he provide daily email updates, complete with photos. At this, Rudy jumped down and rubbed up against the Mommy’s legs and LT even came close enough for a head scratch. “I’m outnumbered, obviously. You two better behave yourselves and come back to us, you hear?”
By the time the Mommy had returned from feeding the grey horse and cleaning the barn, the Daddy and David had stocked the RV with food and cat litter. Favorite blankets had been chosen to make the cats feel at home and were strategically placed in the spots the cats had chosen to lie on when they’d been in the RV.
Peep lay in the living room, her head on her paws and watched it all. She’d miss LT and Rudy, but most of all she was afraid they would be disappointed when they realized that Pottawatomie wasn’t the place of their dreams. She’d put in her two cents, but they didn’t want to hear the voice of reason. They’d have to see it for themselves. Peep was just a homebody. She’d rather stay with the Daddy and keep him from getting lonesome. She would still have Fuzzy and Loaf Cat to keep her company, not that either were major conversationalists. Plus there were the other neighborhood cats. She wouldn’t suffer while they were gone. Well, at least not too much. And on the plus side, she’d get all the food even if she were asleep when the Daddy put it out.
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