Even in the post midnight darkness I could tell that the creature sitting on the railing of my deck wasn’t Alex. There was no white coat reflecting what little star and moon light was available. Plus, from what I could see in the shadows, the critter’s nose and ears didn’t look very cattish to me.
Thursday evening I had gone out to dinner with a friend. It was the first dinner date I’ve had since early last winter. It was also the first time I had ridden in a PT Cruiser—her new PT Cruiser. We didn’t drive far, just a few blocks up Frankfort Avenue from the Crescent Hill neighborhood of Louisville where I live to the Clifton neighborhood.
We lucked out and found a parking place directly in front of the Italian restaurant that is located in an old house. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the rather steep steps leading up to the porch and front door of the restaurant. However, with the aid of my cane and the blessing that the sandals I was wearing because of my injured and still swollen leg didn’t slip off, I was able to shuffle myself up the steps and into the restaurant, where we dined on the magnificent cuisine.
After the long and luxurious dinner, Ann drove me home and, thankfully, waited until I hobbled up on my porch. She had not yet driven away when I realized that my housekeeper had again set the lock on the door handle for which I have no key. Ann came to my rescue, just as my ex-wife had done a few weeks ago when the same lockout had first occurred. She somehow made it onto my deck and into the back door and opened the front door. And again I was irritated with myself for not checking the lock before we had left.
With me safely back into the house, Ann departed and I went searching for my feline owner, who had disappeared into one of his hiding places when Ann entered the house. I never did find Alex’s refuge; however, about half an hour later, the furball appeared and meowed, “Feed me!” After dining on two packets on his favorite moist cat food and being held, cuddled, and stroked by his human servant, Alex jumped out of my arms and began his seemingly never ending grooming ritual.
A bit later, as I was sitting at my computer attempting to read all of the bogs I had not yet visited because of my evening out, Alex attacked my right leg with his needing-to-be-trimmed claws. As is my habit, I screeched in pain, jumped up from my chair, and growled to my tormenter, “Now what do you want?” As is his habit, Alex ignored me as he groomed his nether region with his tongue. Eventually the furball stopped licking his ass and meandered through the kitchen, down the back hallway, and stood expectantly by the door leading to the deck, which I obediently opened and he pranced out.
I returned to the computer. About three hours later I found myself exhausted. “Bedtime,” my computer addled brain informed me. Being a good human servant, I thought about the cat who owns me and, rather than crawling in my bed (which is what I desired), I returned to the back door, opened it, stepped upon the deck, and called Alex’s name. That’s when I saw the creature with no white coat and non-catlike nose and ears sitting on the railing of the deck. Thankfully my Cannon digital was just inside the deck door. I grabbed it and began snapping photos in the darkness.
The creature never moved! Even with the flash of the camera, it never moved! It just sat there. I even talked to it and it did not move. I got within six feet of (as close as I was willing to approach) and it did not move or utter a sound.
Finally I gave up on the creature and went to the front door to see if Alex as out there. He certainly was: the furball was on the porch gazing into the night like a sentry on guard duty.
Finally he relinquished his watch and meandered into then house and we went to bed. I awakened at 4:00 a.m. this morning with Alex curled up (and purring) on my chest. We arose and, as is our habit, I prepared my master’s breakfast. Then I checked the deck. No critter out there. After breakfasting, when Alex demanded that I open the door so he could engage in his morning constitutional, I again saw no strange creature.
It was only then that I downloaded the photos from last night and obtained my first good look at our midnight visitor:
I also need not have been surprised to locate Alex on the front porch rather than on the back deck where I expected him to be. I rather suspect that Alex is neither stupid nor exceedingly pugnacious. So I do not think that he was willing to risk one of his nine lives in a territorial dispute with that opossum. Should you want to ask Alex about his motivation, may I suggest you contact him on his blog.
