Black/White Window Wisdom

His black and white solemn dress sense impressed me and began to clear up my irritation for not being able to board a bus to the London zoo, where I had to get my own ticket from a box, and was too shy to ask for help. Heading toward the underground station I took a wrong turning into a lane where I found the tubby black and white window advertisement for calm! He was as cool and collected as a freshly blooming orchid.

He appeared to have all the time in the world to do nothing but look out at the street crammed with traffic, clutter, noise and mayhem.

He clearly seemd to be advocating the rich benefits of laziness in the form of window watching. He watched everything and everybody, including the woman under his window gawking at him totally smitten. He was surprised but did not show it and politely blinked down at the lady who was enchanted, because a feline blink means warm approval. I had been checked out and found to be okay. He  seemed glad to have  something new to watch.  Cats watch us all the time and are well mannered enough not to laugh at our more or less bizarre state of existence. He generously gave me several feline freshened poses. My favourite was that look of absolute independence, sturdy and solemn that all cats guard like their jewel for healthy living. No bullying, badgering, nose-poking or needling can cut through that fur coat of disdainful self respect.

In the five or six minutes the black and white whiskered wizard and I gazed into one another's eyes, a golden casket of wisdom tumbled out of those serene eyes:

1.Cats apparently dream like us. I assume they dream about a totally dog free world,  and stupid people who think black cats bring bad luck, and catnip gardens around every snooze, the way I dream about a world completely free of mobile phones that spit out snake venom every other minute.

2. Over death or any other loss, cats grieve for only a day or two and then get on with their lives.  

3.They wash up endlessly, diligently, as if their life depends on being clean! I learnt to bathe thrice a day from cats!

4.If they don't like the food you have dished out, they will starve, but get on with yet another wash! Which is what I too have learnt to do - I wash up when too much grime attacks me and I cannot speak out!

5.If you sit still for an hour or even ten hours,  your costliest treasures will still be there  with a packet of peace  added!

6.The most soothing tip that every furry feline seems to gift us as it sleeps through 18 hours of its day is this: all our wealth is within us and sleeping on it is often the best way to guard it instead of  begging for it in unwholesome corridors.

As one poet has said: When you are called names, remember; If bullies mock and e! A cat’s a wonderful creature

That does not converse with its fleas! (Brian Patten)