Sunday, 7 August 2016

Momsie Must Fall.

As I pulled my car into the driveway, Guru Momsie sauntered up to greet me. 
"How was the neighbourhood watch meeting?" I asked her as we walked to the front door. 
 She tossed her head with mild amusement. "Old Billy from number 23 said it was time
 the government was booted out because crime has only increased since they came in to power. 
He ranted for 30 minutes and thankfully someone suggested we have early tea. 
Aunty Jo then said that she knows who the petty thieves are, because she has been watching. 
We all stood in stunned silence.' It's Billys grandchildren' she triumphantly informed us. 
Billy threw a fit and walked out, and Aunty Jo burst into tears because she meant it as a joke."

"So the list of decisions and actions needing to be taken will wait for another month?" I sighed.

She nodded in affirmation, and said in a hesitant tone. 
"You know I do not approve of the violence and immature behaviour shown on most television
 programmes and movies. And I certainly expect better behaviour from the members of 
the Neighbourhood Watch,  but I guess they are so accustomed to seeing 
the tantrums and poor impulse control day after day on television that they have lost 
any mature skills they might have possessed. But I am seduced and highly entertained 
by the real life drama of my neighbourhood and I wonder if it actually provides better,
 more immediate entertainment for me."

"At what cost?" I asked, feeling the demand of house chores and a gnawing hunger 
requiring my attention. "It's a toss -up right now". Momsie mused.
 "I cannot decide between enjoying the entertainment value 
of my neighbourhoods' addiction to emotionally intense drama and histrionics, 
versus actively creating a Watch system that actually works".  She raised her paws her indecision.

"Well, my dear Guru. It is you who says "Sometimes building a working toilet is more important than 
fighting about it and walking around in the  stench of human excrement' . 
But my hunger was growing so I hastily added;
  "So shall I prepare supper while you check on what needs to be done in the garden?"

"I must be getting old" She tossed her head in self mockery as she walked out the door and  
called back "When your devotees start quoting your own words back to you and they are right!"

She watched me while I ate. "I find it astonishing that you humans have still not cottoned on to 
what this world is all about." She looked at me carefully to see if the food was addressing my mood, 
in case there was a remnant of my irritability waiting to surface.
 I nodded in a carefully constructed un-irritable fashion, not willing to disturb the sensation 
of the taste of the food in my mouth enough to answer verbally. 
I loved it when she spoke about the consciousness of humans. It always fascinated me. 
I have yet to reveal to her that I understand very little. 
After all, she holds a high status and I do not want to disturb her honourable equilibrium.

"This world of yours is such a fascinating mix of emotions, thoughts and physicality. 
Very few of you wondrous beings have realised that most of the power lies in the unseen level of thoughts 
and emotions. So you all remain unconscious slaves to those hidden aspects of self and
then act physically in ways that bring you grief, usually to your shocked surprise."
 I confess to being a bit disappointed. This was not new information. 
I did not let on, I just nodded more thoughtfully while greedily piling more food on my plate.
 "I am sure you are disappointed with what I have just said," Momsie continued, "but I want to add that…"

"I cannot bear it when you do that" I interrupted, exasperated and amused. "It is downright scary".

She laughed, "We have far more time, and I dare say skill,
 to observe and sense your real thoughts than you hominids do. 
Your disappointment was written all over you. Anyway, may I continue?" I gestured my capitulated assent.

"When there is a choice to get something useful done, as in our aborted Watch meeting today, 
members would rather bring all their past issues to bear, dump all their suspicions and bitterness
 into the present and sabotage the current need. Imagine if us felines did that?
 Here I am stalking a bird, and Joey from next door says from an overhanging branch in the tree;
 'you have to give that one to me because my forefathers were victimised by your forefathers' 
or,  'when you  had your kittens they made such a terrible noise that I could not catch a single morsel to eat, 
so you owe me. ' So my lunch flies away and Joey starts a "Momsie Must Fall" campaign".
 I coughed to hide my amusement at her indignation and then choked on my food.

Once I had washed the tears from my eyes, drunk some water and wiped my mouth,
 I asked Momsie what she would do if she had such a challenge from Joey. 
"I would offer some of my meal and then say 'Joey, In all that time you spent  obsessing about 
how you feel victimised by me and others, talking about it, planning to yell at me about it, 
then waiting to yell at me and then yelling at me, and then organizing community protests
and twitter campaigns,  you could have caught at least 3 birds. 
So let us work together to improve our hunting skills'.

No drama. Just Guru Momsie in peace practice.

"And if Joey creates a Momsie Must Fall campaign?" I asked curiously.

 "Then you can create a viral post of pictures of me with the heading 
"Momsie Has Fallen" and there I would lie on the ground, 
fallen into a warm spot of sun. It will fool everyone." She said.

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