Proud Cat Servant

I decided I do another interview. This time I interviewed my girl. So, I found her reading a book. She noticed me of course and set the book down.

Ali: What is it, Socki?

Sir Socks (SS): I’d like to interview you for my magazine.

Ali: Okay, what’s your first question for me?

SS: Why did you become a writer?

Ali: I couldn’t be anything else. I started writing about as soon as I knew how to form letters on paper. I always remember having the ability to read and I read a lot even when I was a kid. I found there were adults in my life who refused to listen to me and so I vented by writing to help me cope with their behavior. Writing is like breathing. I don’t know how to live without it. It helps calm me down and keeps me from blowing up at people for the dumbest reasons.

SS: You are a calm human. You hardly yelled at us cats, even when you had good reason to.

Ali: That’s because you are so stubborn and insisted on peeing on the floor because you were mad at me. You still freaked out when I said something calmly to you and knew you were in trouble.

SS: This is true. (pause to stare at my girl) So, now you’re a writer, editor and graphic designer. How did that all come about?

Ali: I started with just writing and learned how to edit my own work. I kept pushing myself to learn how to write a variety of things such as non-fiction articles, poetry, short stories and novels. I’ve put together a magazine known as The Moon for 13 years. It was in the middle of that working on that magazine that I learned graphic design and am glad I did.

SS: Do you still push yourself?

Ali: Yes, I still push myself with the writing. I also find I still need to work on my drawing as it’s my weakest skill. I am getting better mainly because I told myself it was okay to make mistakes and just practice on simpler drawings for now. I know with more practice I will get better at it. I just can’t judge myself while I’m practicing as I don’t judge while I’m drafting. It’s not until I edit that I bring in the judgements. I do tend to judge the drawings I do after I finish them.

SS: (purr) I knew I picked the right human to take care of me and to run my magazine.

Ali: Well, of course you did. You trained me so well that now I can’t live without a cat. Even cats who don’t know me well know they can ask me to give them more food.

SS: Are you happy as a devoted cat servant?

Ali: Yes, you and others have brought me lots of joy. I know you’ve helped me with social issues I seem to have with other humans. Some don’t like how quiet I am, but cats such as yourself never care about such things. You know how much care I was willing to give you that you refused in the end. I don’t regret what I’ve done for any of you cats.

SS: (purr) Good. I’m glad you take pride in taking care of cats and your work too.

I continued to purr as she petted me. I couldn’t ask for a better human.

July 1, 2021 0

Nuri Interview

I came across Nuri who is currently living with my girl. She readily agreed to an interview.

Sir Socks (SS): How long have you lived with my girl?

Nuri: For a few years. We’ve bounced around quite a few times. I hope we don’t have to travel again, but she seems to think we will.

SS: I lived in a few different places with her. I don’t know what the problem is. Whatever it is, it’s bad. I think she has asked for help and can’t get what she needs.

Nuri: I know she has anxiety that gets too high at times. I do what I can to comfort her. She says I help her out. I don’t know what the real problem is either. I do believe she’s the best human for me, but other humans don’t like her for reasons I can’t understand.

SS: Hmm. I suppose the dislike of other humans is a factor. I agree with you that she’s a great human to be with even though she’s too silly for me.

Nuri: She’s not too silly for me. I have to deal with other cats and they don’t always want to play with me. But she will. She even offers or plays with me when I approach her.

SS: That’s good. I know she used to play with Spot too. He truly believes she’s his mama and a cat.

Nuri: (laughs) She told me she bottle fed a kitten. That must have been who she meant. She did tell me she’s lived with other cats. I never cared about the other cats. I see no reason to be jealous of those who came before me. Or even of those she meets now and pets them. I’m just glad she knows what I need.

SS: I trained her well.

Nuri: I’m so glad you did. Most of the time I’m afraid to complain when things aren’t quite right for me. Yet, she has told me sometimes I do need to complain. I did once and she never got mad at me. She understood what I was complaining about.

SS: She was always good about understanding and taking care of the problem. (pause) Is it true your story is a rags to riches?

Nuri: Yes. I was born and raised on the street. I know how dangerous cars and raccoons can be. I also had to fight other cats just to survive. I was scared when humans grabbed me and put me in a shelter. Then I met Ali. My world hasn’t been the same since. It took me time to get used to her and her ways, but I’m glad we met.

SS: She turned my world upside down in a good way. I’m glad she’s a part of my life too.

Nuri: I’m glad she came when she did. I feel much safer inside or even on an enclosed patio. I feel very safe when she’s around. I know she will protect me.

I can’t say I’ve gotten along well with female cats as I did with Nuri during this interview. I know Nuri hasn’t always like male cats either. I’m sure it was because she grew up on the street. She seems to tolerate them better now that she can’t get pregnant.

March 1, 2021 0

Spot Interview

After my girl interviewed me, I decided to interview the kitten I raised with my girl. Spot was very cooperative. I wasn’t surprised by his responses as he has grown up with me and has always adored me and looked up to me.

Sir Socks (SS): Do you mind that I included you in my book?

Spot: No, I’m glad you included me. I’ve known you my whole life. Why wouldn’t I be in your book? I thought I was an important person in your life.

SS: You are an important person in my life. So is my girl that you believe is your mama.

Spot: I love mama.

SS: I know. Did you know she’s human?

Spot: What? I thought mama was a cat like I am!

SS: Uh, she is an honorary cat as far as I’m concerned.

Spot: Good.

SS: So, what’s wrong?

Spot: I’ve told mama she shouldn’t stand under running water, but she still does it. I also don’t know what’s happened to her hair.

SS: She stands under running water to bathe. Her tongue isn’t like ours and her saliva doesn’t have the cleaning power ours does. Her hair can be cut and let to grow out to different lengths. It’s not like our fur which stays the same length all the time no matter how much new growth we have.

Spot: Oh. So, both are okay for her?

SS: Yes. (pause) Would you ever want to be a bigger part of my magazine someday?

Spot: I don’t know yet. I like the idea and especially that you and mama work on it. I do like how it supports animal charities around the world who need the support. I know I’ve been in the magazine because I’m a part of your book. I do know mama has written about me too.

SS: So, that’s a maybe?

Spot: Yes, I might join later on.

That was all I asked him. I might interview him again later on. I still don’t quite understand why he thinks my girl is a cat. It’s probably because she bottle fed him when he was a kitten. Yet, when he was that young, he stole my crunchies too. He was too much for me until he grew up and calmed down.

February 1, 2021 0

Sir Socks Interview

I found Sir Socks in a good mood and a good place. So, I sat down in front of him.

Sir Socks (SS): Ali, what are you doing now?

Ali: Interviewing you.

SS: Why?

Ali: Because I think the readers of Sir Socks Le Chat magazine would like to learn more about you.

Sir Socks sighed. I raised my eyebrows as I waited patiently on him.

SS: Oh, right, go ahead and ask your questions.

Ali: Why did you start this magazine?

SS: I saw a need that wasn’t being addressed fully. There are charities which get ignored for one reason or another. I knew you had done a book with Frisky Le Rouge to help raise money for Dingo Venezia. I knew from your experience in publishing that you could set up a magazine like this and help keep it going. I wanted to help ensure cat and other animal charities were getting a voice and be able to connect with those who could help them.

Ali: How do you feel about writing articles?

SS: I don’t mind the work. I do like to assert myself and express my opinions.

Ali: You’re good at it.

SS: Thank you.

Ali: Am I still too silly for you?

SS: You are much sillier than I could ever be. However, I have noticed you’ve become a bit of a curmudgeon lately. What happened to you?

Ali: It’s the influence of my dad and you.

SS: Really?

Ali: Yes. It was your examples and some hard times I’ve had to deal with. (pause) How do you feel about downgrading the magazine’s site to a free one?

SS: I wasn’t happy we couldn’t get enough donations right away. I know we have tried to be as clear and as front as we need to be. Yet, there aren’t enough humans who trust us to help out with our mission. I hope we can at least pay writers for the work they share with us. Too many like yourself are underpaid.

Ali: At least we have the free site. I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have this one. Or even the Cat Tale books to help featured charities.

SS: I am also glad we have the Cat Tales books. And you do so much to keep the whole thing together and running smoothly. I think the current setup is the best way to do things. It gives people time to learn about us and see if they want to support us and our mission. I suppose we will have to change our mission.

Ali: In what way? We already had to drop the featured monthly charity because we couldn’t find one to go along with us.

SS: At this point I wouldn’t even think about bringing the back. If they don’t trust us, there’s nothing more any of us can do now for them. I thought we were transparent enough. What more to people want of us?

Ali: Too many expect me to work for free or work a job I’m terrible at and can’t keep no matter what I do.

SS: Then how are you supposed to afford to live?

Ali: I don’t know. I think people who believe I don’t deserve to be paid decently for any work I do want me to die so they can take what little material wealth I own as their own.

SS: I don’t like them. I think they have misjudged you. I know what a good person you are. Besides, I think you are much happier to work at home and be around us cats more often than not.

Ali: Cats are a big support. I know I have to serve you cats on a regular basis. So, I don’t know why I can’t just serve at least one in my daily life as well as serve many more on a much larger scale.

Sir Socks yawned.

SS: Is that all your questions?

Ali: For now.

Sir Socks stared at me studying my face as he tends to do. We sat in silence observing each other.

January 1, 2021 0