My writing pals

On most early mornings, long before the sun rises, I sit at the dining room table and write.

Sitting on the chair beside me are my two cats, Tobi and Pluto.

I can’t tell you how much joy this brings me.

These two little guys could be sitting anywhere in the house – couches, beds, and cozy chairs – but instead, they squeeze themselves onto a dining room chair in order to sit beside me.

Joy, I tell you. Absolute joy.

And because of their frequent presence, I am privy to some highly entertaining moments.

Like this:

Pluto, the darker cat, is cuddling with Tobi, the white cat. Holding onto him with his paw, licking his fur, and kneading his skin. Then Pluto stopped, looked up at me as if to say, “Watch this,” and then attacked.

They battled for about ten seconds before settling down again and returning to their previous positions.

I knew it was coming, which is why I managed to photograph the moment. I can’t explain why. Maybe Pluto growled or purred in a way as to signal the oncoming attack.

Or maybe Tobi did something subtle to provoke the assault.

Somehow, I’ve become so attuned to their rhythms that I can predict their movement without understanding how or why.

It’s so good to have such good company.