By T.K.
Date: 8 November 1998

The Mail Is In The Kitty!

Love isn't always about romance.  It's about living a life together and creating
memories that you'll never forget.  Some are wonderful, some are difficult, and 
some are just plain weird.  Regardless, it's creating and sharing those special 
memories that form the bonds and hopefully strengthens the love.
____________________

The Mail Is In The Kitty!

I released a sigh of relief as I approached my front door, knowing that the 
rough day at work I had just endured was about to melt away behind me as soon as
I saw Dawn's face again.  I entered my home and immediately saw her asleep on 
the couch.  My heart fluttered slightly, as it does every time I saw her.  I 
quietly shut the door behind me.  I didn't want to disturb Dawn, especially 
since she was recovering from a knee operation she had just undergone a couple 
days prior. The pain killers prescribed to her had put her in a drowsy daze 
since the operation, so I figured she must have been out cold.  But I guess I 
was wrong, because as I turned back around from closing the door I noticed Dawn 
was dizzily sitting up.  "Hi honey." she said as she seemingly struggled with 
gaining full consciousness.

She looked so adorable to me just then.  I cracked a big grin and warmly 
responded "Hi hun.  Awwwe.  I'm sorry I woke you, sweetie.  How are you 
feeling?"  Dawn still had a foggy look on her face as she looked around with 
sleepy eyes.  "A little better."  she paused to yawn and continued with "I'm 
just so tired from these drugs."

I set keys down on the counter and glanced around for the day's mail, hoping 
perhaps Dawn had retrieved it already, even though she was on crutches.  "Did 
you get a chance to get the mail?"  Dawn replied with a simple "Yes."  I glanced
around the counter again, thinking perhaps I had missed seeing the mail the 
first time, but couldn't find it.  I looked up at Dawn  "Anything for me?"  She 
was still sitting on the couch looking a little groggy.  "No.  The mail was for 
Kitty."  A little confused by this statement, I looked down at our cat, sitting 
peacefully on the floor beside Dawn, as if Kitty could explain.  The big fur 
ball just looked up at me as if to say "I've got no part in this and I really 
don't care."

Looking for a little more clarification, I questioned Dawn again. "The mail was 
for Kitty?"  She replied with a simple "Yes."  Still confused, I went a little 
further.  "Let me get this straight.  The mail was addressed to Kitty?"  Dawn 
looked a little disturbed by my questioning and her tone slightly changed "YES. 
The mail was addressed to Kitty."

Perplexed by this, I was silent for a second, wanting to figure this out without
bothering Dawn further.   Then I suddenly deduced a plausibly conclusion as why 
in the world our cat would be receiving mail addressed to it.  Dawn worked for a
company that did sales and marketing for other companies.  Sometimes she would 
test their mailings and response systems by using her own name and address as a 
test customer.  Sometimes she would use mine.  So, I figured, this time she must
have playfully used "Kitty" as a test customer.

"Ahhh.  I see now.  You had mail sent to Kitty?"  Dawn looked at me in a way as 
if to call me a dumb ass "What?  Of course not.  Cats don't get mail, stupid!"  
I clenched my teeth "But you just said…."  That's it.  I couldn't take it 
anymore.  I would just have to look at the mail myself.  "…Never mind.  So 
where is the mail?"  Dawn relaxed back down on the couch and dizzily pointed at 
the cat.  "In Kitty."  Thinking I didn't hear her correctly "What?"  Dawn again:
"IN KITTY".  Now I'm beginning to get really baffled by this whole mail thing.  
"The mail is in the kitty?"  Dawn sits back up with a peeved look on her face 
and in a firm tone confirms "YES.  The mail is in the KITTY."

I glance down at the cat who is now looking a little confused and worried, as 
she seems to have caught on that we are talking about her.  Now I'm totally 
bewildered and frustrated.  "What the hell are you talking about?  What do you 
mean the mail is in the kitty?!"  Dawn, quite irritated by now, with her good 
leg, she reaches over towards the cat and starts poking Kitty in the but with 
big toe and shouts "LOOK! THE MAIL IS IN THE KITTY!"  At that, Kitty jumps up 
and scrambles to me looking for safety and I pick the poor thing up.  "I give 
up!  Never mind!" and walk off holding Kitty.  "Tell you what Kitty.  Your 
mother is a nutcase.  Let's give her a moment and see if she regains her sanity.
All I wanted to know was whether or not I got mail."  Kitty just looked at me in 
bewilderment.

A minute later I walked back into the room on my way to the kitchen, still 
holding Kitty, disgruntled and mumbling about the mail.  Dawn was still sitting 
on the couch. Looking a little more awake she gave me a big smile and said "Hi 
honey!"  I stopped.  Looked at her and burst out "Look!  All I wanted to know 
is whether or not I got mail!"  Dawn looked totally confused by me.  "What are 
you asking me for?  I haven't even checked the mail today.  When did you get 
home, anyway?"  The cat squirmed out of my arms and ran off to another room, not
wanting any part of this.  My jaw dropped and I just stood there utterly lost.  
And then it hit me…and I began to laugh uncontrollably.  "Hey!  What's so 
funny?" asked Dawn.   I walked over and kneeled down next to her, gave her a 
warm hug and kiss, still giggling.  "I love you."  She looked at me with 
confusion still. "I love you too.  What's so funny?"

"We need to call your doctor and have your prescription changed."