little lonesome rosie

the urge to journal strikes at the most inopportune times, for the most unlikely reasons.

this morning, i was sitting at the screen, reading an column on john lennon's death, really getting into it, reliving the shock of when it first happened when suddenly...

aol was disconnected. 

no, can't blame it on aol this time - the cause of the problem is a gray and white tabby named Rosie.  and something else occurred to me.

if you have a cat, you know that when you're reading the paper or a book, that sneaky little feline devil will crawl on top of the page, rub your nose with hers in some pretense of affection - thereby making you feel too guilty to remove her furry little butt from the words you were reading - for no other reason than your purpose on this earth is to serve and adore her?

well, that's Rosie.  and since i've taken to reading online, she can't perch herself atop the book or newspaper, so she has learned to disconnect the modem.  i am her property, you see, and nothing will do but my undivided attention at all times, except when she's napping. in that case, i had best not disturb her.

she tells me when she wants fresh water by sitting in the empty bowl.  i swear, she is the thirstiest animal that ever lived.  she lets me know that her food dish isn't quite full by jumping on top of the freezer where the bag is stored and knocking the bag to the floor.  at night, i am her mattress.  her favorite spot is over my shoulder blade so she can hang her face against mine.  and the bathtub?  it's disconcerting to have an animal stare at you while you bathe, let me tell you.

and she is a spiteful creature.  i can't tell you how many times she has attempted to trip me in the hallway, or why, but she somehow winds herself around my feet, fully confident i won't step on or maim her.  her objective, i think, is to bring me down like an oak.  or perhaps it's a game to see how far she can go before one of us dies.  methinks rosie has too much time on her paws and a human slave to experiment with.

but there are times when she crawls into my lap and purrs, no pretense or hidden agenda, just plain and simple cuddling.

and there she is again, trying to disconnect the modem again, so i have to go.

ROSIE, GET AWAY FROM THAT!