Omar's Diary to 19th February 2020

Since the last diary I am pleased to say that the peace and tranquility of feline life here at Omar Towers has not been disturbed by “trade” entering the premises.

However, I did hear Man Servant having a conversation on his phone discussing arrangements for making final measurements, a quotation and possible dates for work to commence. This sounds like a big project to me. And once again neither Mitzi nor myself have been invited to get involved in this process. If we are invited to join in these consultations, we have put together some ideas about how Omar Towers should look after the work. I do hope we are consulted.

Please note the huge expanse of windows in the back picture and further note there are no shutters. I rather like the statuary, especially the one of Othello. The bottom right image is that of Man Servant during the visit to the phone shop.

Mobile phones! This is something that dominated at least an afternoon for the Servants. They traveled all the way to somewhere called “Southampton” to go to an Apple shop. Their objective was singular and clear; to get an iPhone unlocked and reconfigured for Lady Servant. They were hoping this would only take a few minutes and they could then visit a gallery before returning home.

“The best laid schemes of mice and men” – Robert Burns

It was not possible to just walk in to the store and ask for the work to be done without first making an appointment. The earliest they could arrange was for a week later. Incidentally, this same company was fined recently for downloading software on to old equipment to slow it down in an effort to make their customers upgrade to newer equipment. It sounds to me like the same software has slowed down their servants in the shops as well.

Out of interest the Servants went on to another store to check if they were entitled to upgrades of their equipment. Nearly two hours later they emerged blinking into the shopping mall like moles breaking through the soil into daylight. They each had paper carrier bags containing new iPhone's and a tablet each. Neither of them really wanted the tablets but they were forced on them as part of a deal and a package. No wonder the servants world is awash with so much technological waste.

I overheard Man Servant say that he felt one of his headaches coming on in the phone shop and Lady Servant seemed to be in some sort of techno shock as well. Mitzi and I decided we would not trouble them in their darkened room for a while before demanding our evening meal.

The best laid schemes of mice and men

Fall foul of technology once again

The itinerant Lady Servant who looks after Mitzi and I when our own Servants are away made an early evening visit to see the new shutters (see Omar’s diary to 7th February 20202). In her follow up conversation about life, neighbours, equines and the weather she mentioned that Skimbleshanks, her feline, was on antibiotics to treat a wound.

There was an inference that I may have been responsible for that wound which I found rather hurtful. I know Skimbleshanks very well and I never would consider hitting him let alone cause him injury. Man Servant intervened to defend me. He said, very politely, that any evidence of my involvement was based purely on hearsay evidence rather than circumstantial. And as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 11) there is the legal principle that one is innocent until proven guilty. The legal burden of proof of guilt has to be carried by the prosecution. Me thinks Man Servant has been watching to many episodes of Judge John Deed since he retired.

Knowing where we come from is an essential part of everyone’s identity. Fortunately for my Servants their family histories are quite well documented and can be traced back over 100 years. Both have varied backgrounds with traces of Scottish, Irish, Dutch, Czech, American and English in their respective family trees.

As for me, those records were lost when I became homeless before finding my home with the Servants.

Lady Servant carried out some more research and established that I do not originate from the Tonk Archipelago but from Tibet. That is a little disappointing as I did harbour visions of members of my family living on paradise islands surrounded by balmy oceans. Oh well, at least we have some more certainty about my origins. And for those of you may be concerned about my weight, my family line from Tibet is noted for its characteristic sturdiness.

Man Servant and I have just finished reading The Salt Path which we cannot recommend enough. It is the theme of becoming homeless, which resonated with me. Losing everything to the point where your entire worldly possessions fit into a backpack. Then going on an adventure to find out who you are, it is that issue of identity again, and realizing what is important in life.

“The ultimate source of happiness is not money or power but warm heartedness” Dalia Lama