Bella

I have never liked cats, never. I grew up with dogs and was always very close to them, they were friends you could hang out with, go for walks with, play catch with, and they never complained, always came when you called them and never talked back. If only the women I have dated over the years were like that, but I am sure we will get back to this at some point.

Cats to me have always been a lot like women, when they want attention they want attention and when they want to be left alone they want to be left alone. They have a tendency to get you to do whatever they want because it is better than listening to them cry and wine, I am speaking of the cats, sort of, but you see my point. Cats, women, women, cats, they are somewhat similar in many ways.

The other things about cats that I have never liked are that they are messy, smelly, and they get fur on everything. My mother has these two nice sitting room type of chairs, the crushed blue velvet, high back sort of chairs, and no one can sit in them because they are covered in fir. I forgot to mention before by the way that the dogs in the family meant a great deal to my siblings and me, but unfortunately, my mother decided to run over the first one, and my father forget to put our second dog in the house before we left to go away for the holiday, and the third could not keep from eating everything in the house, screen doors, all of the garbage, and once all the steaks that were left on the counter for the BBQ. I digress.

So anyway, I have never liked cats, until Bella that is. Bella is not actually a cat, I mean the Humane Society said she was and the vet treats her that way, but she is not a cat. Cats are supposed to leap and spring and jump up to things, Bella does pull ups. Cats are supposed to not like water, when Bella hears the shower running she can’t get to it fast enough. Bella likes to play catch and although she has a tendency to overrun whatever it is I have thrown, she still enjoys the concept and she is getting better at it every day. Bella actually talks, and she will lie near me when I am working regardless of where I am. I actually think that Bella is a cat, but she was a dog in her most recent past life.

Here is what I know most about Bella. This is the best relationship I have ever had with a woman. My father has been telling me for years that I tend to pick the wrong women. Sorry to those I have dated along the way, and/or been engaged to briefly, congrats on the beautiful and very expensive Mexican wedding, take 2, but I digress, again, and actually to continue in this vein for a second, can anyone explain to me why your friends always seem to think it is important, or helpful, for you to know that an ex just got married?

Bella comes running to the door whenever I come home. She is always happy to see me, she comes over to say hello and then gives me space to settle in. She does not hit me with a million questions about the day or with a long list of why her day was bad, or what the kids did that I need to address, or what broke in the house. Bella is very, very low maintenance. If she has food, water, and a relatively clean litter box she is happy. Most of all she is always there and she loves me unconditionally.

The most amazing thing she has ever done, and she has done a great deal, is that the other night when I leaped off “the wagon” for one night, and one night only, Bella was there for me. Once things settled down a little bit, and I propped the pillows up so I could sleep upright, for fear of lying down, she sat on her little pedestal at the end of the bed and watched me all night long. She did not lie down; she sat there just watching me to make sure I was ok. Every time I started to drift off and then caught myself because of my body’s reaction there she was. At 6:00 AM when I finally felt it was safe to try and sleep I curled up in the bed and she curled up on her little pedestal and went to sleep.

Bella is not a cat she is a friend.

Thank you again for getting this far with me.