Wacky Wednesday Critters – To Sleep…Perchance to Dream*

The day is lazy and hot, the temperatures outside hovering around 100⁰F. I sit inside, in air-conditioned almost-comfort. I say “almost” due to two things … We keep the AC set to 78⁰, to save both energy and $$$, and, even at 78⁰, if that cold air is blowing on me, I still feel kind of shivery cold. I look around for Allen, longing for his little furry body to saunter over and lie down on the arm of my chair and keep me warm. I spy him, all curled up in a weird position on one of the upper platforms of the cat tree.

Part of his body, along his legs, hangs over the edge, and he is happily sleeping in front of the cool, moving air. Once in a while, his leg twitches, making me wonder if he is dreaming. Do cats dream? Perhaps they do, dreams of being outside, skulking through some tall grass, looking for a quick movement of a mouse to chase, or jumping up to reach for a butterfly or a bird who is foolish enough to fly close to a cat.

I reach over and gently stroke him under his chin.

He twists around and gives me a disgusted look. “I WAS trying to sleep. I need to get my rest, too, you know. It makes me crabby when someone wakes me up.”

“I’m sorry, kitty, but I was hoping you’d mosey on over to my chair and curl up next to me.”

He responds with a yawn.

“Why don’t you ask Kiki?”

“I don’t know where Kiki is.”

He yawns again, and sits up. “Maybe if there are a few munchies in my bowl that I can nibble on as I go by, then I guess I might come over there.”

I go over and shake a few goodies into the treat bowl. In a flash, he is down from the cat tree and beside the bowl, happily chowing down on them.

Meanwhile, I walk down the hall, headed for the laundry room. Sprawled across the walkway, in such a manner that it leaves almost no space for me to get by, dozes Kiki, the Dragon-Keeper-of the-Walkway.

She opens her eyes for a few seconds, then shuts them again, not bothering to move even a paw to get out of the way. She knows I won’t step on her. I risk losing my balance as I maneuver past.

“Hey, Kiki,” I croon at her as I return a few minutes later. “I’m going back to my chair now. Why don’t you come and join Allen and me there. We can look at some pictures or something.” I figure that if I cajole them both, I will get at least one warm body there. Kiki just looks at me and shuts her eyes. Sigh…

To my delight, when I return, Allen has already ensconced himself on my chair.

“How about if we look at some pictures of other animals sleeping?” I ask.

“Whatever,” he says. I open the picture book and start to turn the pages. He perks up a bit and looks.

“Oh, my!” he exclaims, cautiously reaching out his paw to touch the photo of the crocodile. “You’re sure they are asleep? They won’t hurt me if I touch them?”

“They’re only pictures, Allen. They aren’t real. Besides, they are all asleep.”

“That green bird looks like one of those green parrots that fly around here in the early mornings and make so much noise. All the birds and lizards I’ve ever seen were awake. They are always running away from me. I’ve never seen a real crocodile. He looks pretty scary.”

“Crocodiles are pretty scary. Let’s turn the page and see some other sleeping animals.”

I feel a light touch against my leg and look down to see Kiki looking up at us. “What are you doing? Why wasn’t I invited?”

“You are invited, Kiki,” I assure her. Come on up here and sit on my lap. We’re looking at some pictures of sleeping animals.”

“Why are they all sleeping?” she asks. “Are they sick or something?”

“I think they’re O.K. This is just the part of the picture book called Sleeping Critters. Look at these.”

I wonder what those critters are dreaming about. They all seem pretty relaxed.

“Those are very interesting animals,” remarks Kiki.

“Do you know that two of them are actually very big cats?”

“Wow! Will we get to be that big some day?”

“No, you’ll always be small and snuggly. And I love you that way.”

“Do you want to see another page of pictures?”

“Sure. Why not?”

Allen speaks up this time. “Do you think everybody sleeps, Mom?”

“Well, I don’t know for sure, but I think most animals do.”

“I’m going over to the window to look for birds and squirrels.” Kiki slides off my lap, luckily for me, without her claws extended, and trots over to the window, working her way behind the curtain so she can see better.

“Let’s look at one more page.” Allen is purring. I’m loving it, and am quite happy to look at one more set of sleeping animals.

“Why are there humans in these pictures?” Allen asks.

“Well, humans are animals, too.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that. What is that funny-looking furry one?”

“That’s a puppy, a baby dog.”

“I’m afraid of dogs. They bark and chase after cats.”

“I think you’re pretty safe from this one.”

“Those two cats remind me of how Dulce and I used to curl up. I miss her so much.”

“I miss her, too, Allen.”

He has tired of looking at pictures, and, as he jumps down to find some fun mischief to get into, I idly turn the page once more. And I see this!

“Ack?! He’s not sleeping! What is that picture doing in this diary?” I blink my eyes. That one must have been left over from last week. I think I am beginning to need a nap, too. I give in and let my eyes drift closed.

So, ‘bye for now. Have a good week and don’t let all the craziness get you down.

*In case that title sounds familiar to you, it is from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1, part of the “To be or not to be” speech. Its use here does not imply any thoughts of death or suicide, however. Hopefully, everyone in this diary is having sweet dreams.