Gatsby's Big Day.

Well, yesterday was Gatsby's day in the sun. I took him to the local pet clinic to have him neutered........ the "Neuter for a Nickel Day." They had fifty male cats scheduled for "fixing" yesterday, and Gatsby was sixth on the morning list because we got there early, at 6:50 a.m.

I thought it would be a trial to get Gatsby in the traveling crate, but he walked right into the crate when I brought it out on the porch. Hmmm.... what's in there? All I had to do was give him a little push to get his back legs and his tail in the crate before I closed the door. And then I heard one loud meow when he realized he couldn't get out. Hey!! Where are you taking me?! I happen to like it here, you know.

Off to the clinic we went, with a silent Gatsby in the crate on the back seat of my husband's car. When we got there, we waited in the line and while all the other cats were howling and meowing and clawing at the doors of their crates, Gatsby sat there like a gentleman and just looked around. Chill out, you guys... you're behaving like a bunch of ferals.

When it was our turn, they brought us into a little room where they weighed Gatsby (11 lbs., 5 oz.) and asked me if he was allergic to any medications. We've only had Gatsby for a month... I had no idea of his medical history. In addition to the neutering, they were also giving him all the proper vaccinations. ("This is all for you own good, Gatsby.") They always say that when it's going to hurt.

They took Gatsby into the back rooms and told me that I could pick him up at 2:00. And off he went, without so much as a meow.

I drove back home to get ready for company.... our young friend Miss C was driving up with her friend A... they would be at our house by ten o'clock and planned to spend most of the day with us. And indeed they did..... we had lunch together at our house, then went into town because C wanted to see the resale shop where I've been finding such treasures (she went all around the house picking out "new" things)..... and they also wanted to see both The Cottage and The Barn to see what I've done. ("Well, I'm glad you took those dolphin pictures out of the barn.... the cow pictures are much better, Miss L.")

After the resale shop, we stopped to pick up Gatsby. Out he came in the crate, as quiet as he was when he went in. His eyes were half-closed, and we could see that he was still a little woozy from the anesthesia. C and I were in the front seat of the car, her friend A was in the back with Gatsby for the drive home, and Gatsby just sat there looking at all of us, listening to us talk, and still not making a sound.

When we got him on the back porch, Gatsby wobbled out of his crate and sniffed the air. Did they bring me back to the same place? Did they bring me back home?

Then he walked right over to me and dropped down at my feet and put his head on top of my shoes... I had been forgiven. Gatsby rubbed his face against my ankles a few times, then walked over to Miss C and her friend A and said hello to them. Are you new here too? Did they find you in the bushes? My husband came out on the porch and his first words to Gatsby were "Are you feeling okay? That operation wasn't my idea, Gatsby." I had put a little bit of food out for him, but Gatsby wasn't interested. He wobbled down into the grass, took care of business there, then went to his favorite spot underneath the back deck. He slept till after we all had dinner, then when I went outside to call him, Gatsby came bounding up the back stairs of the deck as if nothing had happened.

This morning, Gatsby was starving--- when I opened the back door, he was sitting on the doormat with his whiskers pressed up against the screen. He ate his Friskies Beef as if it were the first meal I had ever given him. Not a drop was left in that plate, and he gobbled it all up without first licking up the gravy first.

As I type this, I can see Gatsby from the window near my desk.... he is sprawled out on the stone path in the backyard and he is watching the hummingbirds. Life is good.... they took my little balls, but life is still good.