Who's This Good-looking Someone...

...in clothing (Army uniform shirt?) that looks distinctly antique?




Why, it's DAD, that's who! In about the early 1940's. He's twenty-something.

What's that you're holding, soldier? A kitten!

But Dad never liked cats. So he said.

Until Toby chose him as his special friend. How do cats DO that? They pick out the person who likes them least and love that one the most. Toby did that. Dad could never take a nap without Toby napping on Dad's stomach.

It was always Dad's job to herd the cats into the laundry room late at night. They all learned that resistance was futile, and went when told to. Not Toby. Dad always carried Toby into the laundry room. Why? "Toby prefers to be carried."

I remember once when Mom was in Florida, and an ice storm hit the D.C. area, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes. I telephoned Dad to be sure he was okay.

"I'm fine," he said. "I pulled a table and chair up to the fireplace and sat there and paid bills. I had a cold supper, and I slept on the couch near the fire."

"Where'd the cats sleep, in the laundry room?"

"Oh, no, it was far too cold for them in there! They slept with me, on the couch."

Oh-h-h--kay!

HT: Grace