I wrote this piece about six years ago. The little cat who came to visit was Mr. Gray. I’m glad he came and stayed a while and I miss him now that he no longer comes around.. Wherever he went, I hope he is happy and I hope he knows how much I enjoyed those visits. He and other cats I’ve known inspired me to include a cat in my cozy mysteries.
Lazy Summer
Slumber softly, summer cat, Dozing in the sunbeams.
Needing neither rhyme nor reason
To become one with the season;
Tawny, yawny, warm and mellow,
Sun-drenched days and cat of yellow
Loving lazy daydreams.
–Blanche Day Manos
I penned those words back in 1981 but they are still appropriate for the furry visitor who seems to like my front porch. So though it’s appropriate, the poem isn’t exactly accurate for this cat of 2013. He’s not yellow, he’s gray. And although he may love the sunbeams, when the sunbeams’ temperature hovers around that century mark, this friendly feline loves the shade. So, truth be known, about the only thing in the poem that applies to this particular fellow is that it’s summer and he’s a cat.
Cats are independent, self-reliant creatures but they also like to be comfortable, as we all do. They move quietly through life and have a healthy curiosity about mysterious objects. They like to investigate but dislike sudden movements, loud noises, and storms. In winter, they believe that a soft cushion by a warm fire is their right and in summer, a cool spot (like my front porch) will do nicely. And cats, bless them, have come into their own with the writers of cozy mysteries. So, do you think perhaps Mr. Gray realizes that I write cozy mysteries and he dropped in just to add atmosphere? Those yellow eyes are inscrutable. I’ll probably never know because cats are not prone to sharing their wisdom. They are good at keeping secrets. And, they really enjoy being included in cozy mysteries.
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