Saturday, September 12, 2009

Bad to the Bone


Sometimes you see a perfect gift when you're not even looking for one.

And you have to get it because it's sooo absolutely right, because the recipient will know it's right exactly just as you did when you saw it. And even though it's not his birthday or Christmas or any other holiday that might occasion it, you have to get it.

So you do. And you send it to England.

You send it Air Mail to England because the USPS does not believe in sea mail anymore. And sending it air mail means that it costs 6 times as much to send it as the gift itself.

But it's perfect. So that makes it all right.

It just so happens that the gift is for a cat.

Not just any cat, though. Sid.

Sir Sidney, ACOSB -- A Cat Of Superior Breeding -- who lives with Kate Walker and keeps things running on the far side of the pond.

Sid and I go back a long way. He was scarcely more than a teenager when I first met him -- not quite a full-fledged feline romantic hero. But he definitely had Potential.

He grew into his potential -- and then some. He became a charmer. An alpha cat. With just a hint of bad boy in him. So that when I saw the dish with its motto -- Bad to the Bone -- I knew it had to be Sid's.

Not just because of the motto, but because Sid believes in food. He relishes it. Adores it. Delights in it. Consumes it. A cat who feels that strongly about his nutrition should have a bowl that speaks both to his passion and his nature.

Hence, the perfect gift.

He has written me two thank you notes so far. He's had his picture taken with it eight times. He has chased Flora the Floozie away from it -- allowing her a few Greenies (sent along to Sid and his housemates Flora and Dyl the Vil because all cats love Greenies.) but not allowing her the use of his bowl.

So, Sid, I'm delighted you are enjoying your new china -- and the Greenies that came with it. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come.

ps: this is the sort of thing writers do when plots are eluding them.

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6 Comments:

Blogger Rachael Johns said...

Simply GORGEOUS!!! I lurve cats!

12 September, 2009  
Blogger Lacey Devlin said...

Love it! He is such a gorgeous cat of course he must have the china to matcoh!

12 September, 2009  
Blogger Anne McAllister said...

Rach,
Sid is a simply gorgeous cat. But it's not just the physical presence -- it's the power of his personality. Before I'd met any of Kate's cats (she had four), I asked her why she talked more about Sid than the others. She said, "Wait til you meet him. You'll see." Absolutely true. Sid is A Presence, A Force To Be Reckoned With.

Lacey, He's most handsome and very personable . . .er, catable? And yes, he should have china that matches his gloriousness. Especially, as he would say (and has said several times), SUBSTANTIAL bowls like his Bad to the Bone bowl.

12 September, 2009  
Blogger Kate Walker said...

>>this is the sort of thing writers do when plots are eluding them.

And the other thing that writers do when plots are eluding them is to allow their cats the use of their computers to send thank you notes. And agree to their cat's demand to have his photo taken with his Bad to The Bone bowl (with added extra meat of course)

And yes Sid is definitely a Cat of Substance as well as Superior Breeding. Specially now that he has the added nourishment a larger bowl can bring!

Thank you again for the bowl Anne - it suits him perfectly as you knew it would. His is currently lying on a cushion sleeping off the substant breakfast his BTTB was filled with - I don't expect him to move for a while!

Kate

13 September, 2009  
Blogger Caroline said...

I love Sid! I say that without having even met him! Why? Because the lovely Sid picked my name out of the hat in Kate's recent competition and I received a box load of lovely lovely books and a tote bag and pen! Take care. Caroline x

13 September, 2009  
Blogger Anne McAllister said...

Kate,
Yes, I seem to remember Gunnar taking over my computer whenever I was stymied with a plot point (no wonder he was so prolific). Mitch, of course, also does that. Micah usually can't be bothered. More a dog of action than of words. Sometimes, like now, though, quite content to simply sleep at the bottom of the bed!

Caroline, Sid is good that way. And he makes LOTS of friends giving away books. Of course they would all be his friends anyway if they should ever meet him.

13 September, 2009  

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