Behave like a cat

Mon, 17th December, 2018

a short grunting noise, she jumps onto the knees of the sitting man at the desk. she has only done that once before, and is awkward. Then she turns and

settles, allows the hand to stroke her head and her

back. she starts to purr, comfortably, resettles

her haunches, and rests her head upon the knees.

The cat is learning to behave like a cat, and to

do the things other cats do. Spend far too much

time petting her back, trying to return the trust,

trying to acknowledge the first friendly action

for a very long time at this horribly early hour

of the morning.

Hurry through the deserted cold streets, there is

the bus, waiting. Take the the arches at a run, and

run past the bus shelter. The bus is just

moving off, tap on the window. It slows again

and stops. The door opens, so board the machine

,say a loud" thank you", "or Donkey'; and go

and pay the driver the short fare. It was

close, but petting the cat in the morning was

pleasant, the more so because of today's premier

friendliness on the part of the cat.

Still breathing heavily from the running,

find a seat at the back of the bus. By the time

the bus has reached the railway station, the

breathing has calmed again, jump out and

walk across the station square. Say 'good

morning to the smoker by the ashtray, climb

the stairs to the station hallway.

The cafe is empty today, people are on

holidays for Christmas. Order a coffee, and

then later hand over the card to be stamped.

The young woman who runs the cafe,

Andrea, miss-counts the stamps on the

card and nearly tears it up. Then she

counts the stamps on the card, sees that

there is one space free. She stamps it and

returns the card.

go to the waiting room, and see the

morose man there, wish him a good morning,

he returns this with a surprised expression.

Normally, he is only silent, and morose.-Nobody

says good morning to him, usually.

/

start to write these notes, when the

week has started again, being functional,

early in the morning. A change from the

weekends. long rests and long viewings

of unreal stories on the television late

at night.

now

It is 

Monday, early, in the

week leading up to Christmas. The

man sitting opposite sends over

whiffs of garlic as he puts on his coat

as the train approaches Freising, in

southern Germany.