Working During the Pandemic

It is full dark outside, and my alarm is not quite ready to announce the beginning of the day. Kitty is gently batting my face letting me know that she is hungry. I yawn and stretch and prepare to get out of bed and start my day. Kitty slinks down the bed slowly stretching her front legs, her whole body, and then her back legs before jumping to the ground and trotting towards the kitchen and food bowls. At 17 years of age (that is mid-80s in human years), she is sleek and graceful and moves with ease. In comparison, I move slowly and stiffly feeling every year of age on my body. It is day 443 of the pandemic and teleworking continues. No wonder I’m stiff and sore. Not enough exercise or moving around. Not enough outside connection.

I lean down to pick up the water bowls at the foot of the bed and move slowly in Kitty’s footsteps. Milk Face and Ginger are stirring behind me. In the soft light of the pantry, I reach for 3 cans of Fancy Feast grilled cat food. Kitty watches me intently as I remove three China saucers and empty the can’s contents for feline consumption. She meows encouragement as I pick up the old saucers and put down the cat food.

Kitty came to me in 2005, a carefree and happy cat. After work, I sat on the back patio with a glass of wine, a great book, and a pack of cigarettes. I don’t remember what I smoked back then, but they were long and slim and felt good between my fingers. My glass of Cabernet was a welcome treat after a long week. My book lay on my lap, my forefinger lazily drawing an intricate pattern on the cover as I wondered why someone would get a dragon tattoo. I looked across the yard and there Kitty was frolicking with all of the male cats in the neighborhood.

I was entranced. Kitty had the most beautiful black fur accented with golden-green eyes. I was partial to solid black cats (just as I am partial to tabby cats and calico cats today). I sat and watched her until she noticed me. With the delight of a blithe spirit, she glided across the lawn and jumped into my lap. It was love at first sight.

And that was the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship. Kitty also brought the joys of kittens.

Milk Face moves in rapidly as I place the saucers on the feeding mats. His movements bely the age that shows in the whiteness of his face. He attacks the food ferociously, eating at a speed unmatched by the other two. My big guy is motivated by food and strives to inhale as much as possible as quickly as possible. He uses his large size to push Kitty from her food.

For anything that is not relevant to food, Milk Face is my sweet and gentle giant. His days are spent on my bed with a few short jaunts into the feeding area throughout the day. I find myself looking at him during meetings as he gazes at me with adoring eyes. There is nothing like the love we receive from our animals. It boosts the joy I find in my days. If only my employees felt that way!

I know, I will dub my cats as members of my team!

Ginger is third up for the food station. She, too, must resist Milk Face pushing her away. She has more bulk than Kitty, so it is a little harder for Milk Face to bully her. I observe as they snack contentedly on their food.

I get started with my workday. Oh, the joys and challenges of having employees. I listen as one employee goes on a rant, and I hear how some team members are not doing all they need to. I listen patiently and ask for suggestions on how to improve as a team. Another employee is having a bad day and suffering concerns over COVID-19. The boss wants numbers and the team is short-handed. Just another beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Kitty jumps in my lap and circles settling in and purring. I look across the room at the other two sleeping peacefully. All is well in my world.

Day 484

The day starts with our normal feeding routine, but Milk Face won’t come out of the corner. I am very worried about him. Of course, he may be waiting for Kennedy to come and pet him.

I have a full day of meetings with very little downtime. Kitty and Ginger are curled up together on the bed. The day flies by. I have short visits from both Kitty and Ginger. As I wrap up the day, I go into the living room. Milk Face is obviously suffering. I load him in the car and take him to the vet’s office. The poor baby is so miserable he doesn’t move in the cat carrier. The news isn’t good and Milk Face is put on palliative care. I take him home and am reminded of Scarecrow.

Scarecrow was one of the original Fantastic Five. A feisty cat born the runt of the litter. He quickly established dominance over the other cats as he became a young cat. He loved to play! He and Kitty had hunting games and played frequently throughout the day. He passed away just shy of 13 years old.

July Nomination (please substantiate your reason for this nomination)

I am nominating Milk Face as the Employee of the Month for July 2021. He was persistent and showed up until he couldn’t show up anymore. He always did his best and was a very loving and amiable fellow.

Day 499

I am moving slowly through a sea of grief. It is difficult to focus, and I prefer to sleep. However, work continues. The same demands and pressures day in and day out. After the first two meetings of the day, Kitty comes over to comfort me or have me comfort her. Now it is only Kitty and Ginger. My dynamic duo. Each takes turns snuggling with me. I rarely hear Kitty purr anymore. I am realizing that she is losing steam. She requires subQ fluids twice a week and hates them. I wonder if she thinks I am trying to torture her. I sometimes think my team thinks that about me.

Day 512

Kitty is getting confused. She woke me at around 2:30 am yowling. I jumped out of bed and went looking for her. I’m worried because she has lost so much weight. I am taking Kitty and Ginger to the vet today. In the meantime, I am taking my dazed and confused self to my computer to start another round of meetings.

Day 513

Kitty is on borrowed time. I am spoiling her like crazy. I am going to buy roasted chicken or fresh fish for her to see if she will eat.

Day 514

Kitty is loving the roasted chicken. I am so grateful that I am working from home! Work meetings are long.

Day 515

Kitty is sleeping on my chest. I wake to her face cuddled in my neck. I am trying to focus on now and to feel the love for as long as I have it.

Day 526

I am taking Kitty to the vet so that she can go to the rainbow bridge. My poor, frail baby isn’t gaining weight no matter how much roasted chicken I buy.

Day 533

I am number with grief. It is only me and Princess Pee-Pee now. That is Ginger’s nickname.

Work continues. I feel as if I am moving through a fog. Ginger moves from my lap to the bed and back to my lap several times a day. She doesn’t really like meetings and takes that opportunity to remove herself from the vicinity.

August Nomination (please substantiate your reason for this nomination)

I nominate Kitty as the employee of the month. She displayed long-standing loyalty, immense courage, and showed unflagging love for me and her fellow cats. She maintained a playful demeanor for most of her life. She was invaluable in helping me through the pandemic.

Day 564

Ginger continues to look for Kitty and Milk Face. She is grieving and remains close by my side. I don’t know how she will react when I am required to go into the office. We are comforting each other through this very difficult time.

September Nomination (please substantiate your reason for this nomination)

I nominate Ginger for sticking with me through thick and thin. She provides comfort even as she is hurting. Her wonderful attributes far outweigh me having to clean up after she pees in an inappropriate place.

Day 6,048

It was 6,048 days ago that Kitty pranced into my life and gave me joy by choosing me. She trusted me and tried to care for me as long as she lived. She brought me food that she caught in the wild. She tried to rescue me from a full bath. And she brought the joy of newborn kittens to me. Watching them grow was a marvelous experience. Kitty, Scarecrow, Milk Face, and Ginger provided me love, entertainment, company, and comfort. They all deserve recognition as the EmPawYee of the month.