Leaves and Cats

[rejectomorph]

No time for a walk, today, but I slipped outdoors for a few minutes, to take a look at the trees. The oaks are amazingly golden, this year. Some autumns are so windy or so cold that the oaks drop most of their leaves before they reach the peak of color. This year, a substantial number of leaves yet remain, and the bright afternoons are full of their rich color. Today, my orange cat was playing in a pile of fallen leaves, and I was surprised to see how well she matches them. For a while, flying leaves and whirling cat became a single noyade of color. The other cat, whose brown and cream tones more closely resemble the upholstery of a suite in some suburban living room, sat watching her livelier rival with an expression of disapproval. In her old age, she apparently believes a more sedate demeanor to be appropriate to her species. Yet, she is not above chasing leaves, herself- when she thinks nobody is watching. The orange cat tired of her game, after a while, and the three of us spent a few quiet moments together, watching the fading day, until I had to return to my work. The cats, lacking any more urgent business, remained outdoors until it was time for their dinner. Now they are napping. Lucky, illiterate cats.