So much for the FPP (Feline Protection Program) ... As of eight o'clock this evening, the cat was literally out of the bag, on my little townhouse secret. I should have known that sooner or later, the front bedroom window would lead to my undoing ... So now except for maybe #4, the entire complex knows about Emma, the renegade cat of TH2.

Sheila, my next door neighbor, was first to spot the little black furball, a revelation that was quickly followed with a knock on my door.

"You didn't tell me you had a cat!", she said, barely stopping for a breath before she rushed on to her next sentence, "You know how much I love cats. Where did you get her from? How long have you had her? What's her name? Is she declawed?"

Clamping my tongue down on the impulse to ask her if she needed a glass of water, I tried to respond to her questions in the order they were asked. "I got her from a shelter last November. Her name is Emma, after Jane Austin's Emma, which in fact is her whole name ... Emma Jane Austin (last, last name witheld). She's declawed." (Well, not really but I wasn't about to air all my dirty laundry. How could I explain that I didn't have the heart to have her toenails ranked out by their very tips!)

"She's beautiful," she said, "Is she all black? Is she good with KC? Aren't cats nice to have around? I have to keep the windows partially down because of the neighbor's dog. I'm worried he's going to rip them (being the cats) right out of the window ... He's so big."

(Today's Specials ... A lovely oxygen tank with a side of bottled water.)

"Yuppers," I nodded, "All black, I've always had black cats, I prefer them. She's great with KC too. KC could carry her around by the tail, and Emma wouldn't even notice ... Course if I tried that, it would be a different story altogether."

"So she's like KC's cat then?" she inquired, leaning against her broom, as I sat down on the front steps.

"Well, I suppose, yes and no ... When KC is at her Dad's for the weekend, Emma follows me around the house, like a baby in search of a bottle. But when Kate's home, she keeps a protective eye over her, even shuffling off to bed with KC, when she turns in for the night."

How sad I am, that I'm not even 30 and this is what my life has come to I thought. When the highlight of my night, is sitting outside on my front steps, discussing the fact that the only significant other in my life, happens to be a little black cat.

I made a mental note.

(Need to get out more, meet more people so as not to become freaky stay at home cat person who eats tuna fish sans mayo in the dark! (exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation point) Must take this note seriously as fear that state of mental health is in jeopardy.)

On another note, which is actually another note (musical that is) ... I'm listening to Tori Amos's 1000 Oceans at the moment, a song that reminds me of an old friend, who dissed me completely, the last time I sent him an email. I'm tempted to fire him off an email right now, with a link to this site. Then maybe he would read this entry and feel mighty bad for not emailing me back in a timely fashion. If you happen to find yourself reading this Greg, I do expect an email sometime before the end of June! You don't have to be detailed, just say hi ...

These tears I've cried
I've cried, a thousand oceans
And if it seems, I'm floating ... in the darkness
Well, I can't believe, that I would keep
Keep you from flying ... and I would cry a thousand more
If that's what it takes, to sail you home
Sail you home ... Sail You Home.

I'm aware what the rules are
But you know that I will run
You know that I will follow you,
Over Sillbury Hill,
Through the solar fields
You know that I will, follow you ...