Frankie Weiss and Her Magic

Frankie Weiss and Her Magic
Chapter Three - Settling In

Now nearly a year old, Frankie and Johnnie were a panacea to a once lonely widower, the former silent house embraced their lively antics. Usually each morning when leaving the house I took a trash bag downstairs with me. Both cats anticipating this move would run down the steps to the recreation room before I’m on my way to exit through the front door on the ground floor. That’s how they see me off, but not before I must pet both as a loving gesture. I still had to keep the watch and clock workshop door closed, otherwise Frankie in her madness to explore anything and everything could create havoc among the loose watch parts on my workbench. Any open area was too inviting. Her curiosity is boundless, sadly, I learned, if I’m not protective, it could be with unhappy consequences.

As I leave, hearing the automatic garage door open, the cats quickly run upstairs jumping to the picture window sill to see me off. Often, when arriving home, one or both felines will be looking out of the window, ogling the passing scene, or awaiting my return, unless they’re busy getting in some mischief, as young cats full of vim and vigor will do. Should I enter through the ground floor, the cats hearing me open the door will already be in the rec room waiting to greet me. At other times, they’ll be at the top of the stairs landing, Frankie stretched out in all her glory on the rug expecting me to honor her patented ritual of my rubbing her exposed belly and pretty head. (A cat will never expose her soft undersides, excepting to those she loves and trusts.) Johnnie sitting quietly by, awaits my greeting by touching and scratching her head and cheeks. She always rises on her hind legs to meet my hand as I do this.

Frankie The Busybody

I’ve never brought a package home that Frankie (if not catnapping) makes it her business to try to see what’s inside. I recall bringing up a luggage case and putting it on the bed for a planned trip. Naturally, the busybody jumped onto the bed upon opening the zipper of the cover Frankie leaped inside the open case, claiming it as her territory. Gently. I tried lifting her out, she protested by making herself a dead weight.

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