louieonredFour years ago, I "retired." While I was in Hawai'i, my sister got lonely and adopted two cats from the Humane Society. Newkea lived at the shop for about a year and had a heart attack and dropped dead the busiest day of the summer. Louie arrived at the same time, and now enjoys being an only cat. He's our PE (personnel evaluator). We have found him to be a pretty good judge of character; and if he doesn't like you, you cannot be in the workroom.

We like having him around, because not only does he help us laugh every day, he's also very comforting. If you are having a bad day, pet a cat. There is something about stroking an animal while they express their appreciation by purring loudly enough to be heard across the room. He lounges on the seat we removed from the delivery van, and he'll share if you need it-- if you let him lean on you. 

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As you can see, he also holds down my desk, so that it doesn't go flying around the room. This requires stretching out as long as possible, covering as much surface as possible. And that is considerable on his part. He was found by Humane Society staff abandoned outside the shelter, emaciated and matted. They caught him,  cleaned him up; and when he got to the cat room, he crawled into the catfood bag and didn't come out until it was empty and he weighed 20 pounds. His hair is about 4" long- -we keep it short most of the year because he gets way too warm, and lets us know by sitting in the flower cooler for long periods of time.

I like watching him when the new product comes in, and wonder what he can extrapolate by smelling everything. He'll come over and pull down greens or babybreath in front of his face, sit behind it like he's hiding under a bush; and thinks no one can see him because his face is obscured. He spends a lot of time sniffing the stems and the blooms he can reach, then he opens his teeth just a little and draws the scent over his glands at the back of his throat, then sniffs again.

We back up to the grocery store; and in winter the mice come in. Louie can hear them moving in the walls, and it drives him crazy. They know he's too portly to get under the rolling carts we use for shelving and dividers; and they can travel through our part of the building by staying under the carts or moving in the walls. Louie will come and tell us he needs help-- he catches them only by default. If you follow him, he'll lead you back to where he's been pawing at the walls, and look up with impossibly blue eyes. Can't you help me, he'll implore. 

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Louie is the latest in a line of feline ambassadors at the shop. He entertains us, and enriches our lives. What would our lives be like if he weren't there? I wonder.