The video for this
Superchunk song is such a tiny masterpiece of brilliance that I simply had to
deliver it to you like a freshly baked treat from the Internet’s secret bakery
of wonders. As a lifelong cat enthusiast, I’ve hosted more furry roommates than
I can reasonably keep track of, and at the moment our household boasts five
indoor kitties and one outdoor momma who supervises the property like a tiny,
whiskered landlady.
Cooper, ever the diplomat, adores his feline companions
— but only one has earned the coveted title of Best Buddy: Princess Rian,
though around here she answers mostly to Princess Pussface. We brought her and
her sister inside ages ago (their momma, the outdoor landlord, prefers the
great outdoors; we got her fixed, tried to introduce her to indoor life, and
she responded with the vibe of a cat who has drafted a formal complaint
and signed it with one perfect pawprint.
Princess Pussface, at first, wanted nothing to do with
any of us. She perfected the art of the aloof royal glare… until she noticed
the other cats having a riotous time. That’s when she surrendered to the dark
side — or, more accurately, the fun side — and immediately decided Cooper was
her chosen one.
But back to the video. I’ve only ever had one cat who
might’ve been capable of starring in it if he’d been allowed to roam the
neighborhood like a tiny, chaotic troubadour. Julian was mine — a heart full of
affection and a brain full of schemes that definitely weren’t approved
by management. He crossed the rainbow bridge about five years ago, but oh,
he was a devil. A glorious, mischievous devil. He climbed everything, treated
gravity like a personal challenge, and had a particular fondness for stealing
my plastic record sleeves so he could surf them down the stairs like a feline
Evel Knievel.
I miss Julian. He was trouble wrapped in fur, and he
made the world more interesting.
