Bedtime story

Angel has been especially needy when it comes to constant attention recently. I don't know if it's the season, or the weather, or just his part of his cycle of feline moods, but whatever it is it can be a bit of a challenge as he seems to always be underfoot, literally. And if I'm sitting then he must, of course, be sitting on me. Usually he restrains himself to sitting on my lap, but sometimes he likes to mix it up and attempt cozy up on my stomach, or chest, and once, my face (don't ask). It usually cute and I like to cuddle with him when watching TV and such, but when I'm trying to eat dinner after a 10 hour work day, it can also be a nuisance. Especially when it comes to cat fur ending up in my mojito salmon with brown rice. Ack!

Last night was warm here in the valley, and as such we were both restless. TV was worthless — nothing good on — and I wasn't in the mood for the commitment a DVD would certainly require. I also wasn't in the mood to contend with a cat that could not be satisfied with any amount of petting, scratching, stroking, or massaging. I turned on the air conditioning (a rarity as I'm a bit of an energy miser these days) and decided to finally crack opened the newest David Sedaris book, When You are Engulfed in Flames, I had picked up at my favorite Target over the weekend. I started to read, the familiarity of his writing immediately filling the void that was causing my mental restlessness. Meow? I keep reading. Meeeoow. I turn the page. Meeooooow! My concentration starts to shift. MEEEEEEOOOOOW! Right in my ear! With the book in my lap there was no room for Angel which was none to his liking. It was too hot to have 15 pounds of hot fur heating up my bare legs so I set him on the ground and proceed to read out loud in an attempt to regain my focus. Angel, apparently a closet Sedaris fan, immediately settled down, stretched out on the carpet and soaked in the first two chapters I read to him, quietly purring to himself into a peaceful slumber. Who knew all we both needed was a bedtime story.