“Good boys” by Hugh Findlay

Yellow-eyed cat
reaches up
and punches a paw
against my bare leg,
draws out his
crescent of claws
and hooks them
slightly into the fat
of my calf.

Staring, he says
“Lowly human,
I hereby bestow
great favor upon you
and I demand,
forthwith and without delay,
that you do my
needful scratching…
or else.”

So being familiar,
I reach down
and scratch under
his upturned chin,
causing the shallow
stick of his grip
to instinctively deepen.

I cannot help
but flinch,
then turn my hand
slowly, deliberately,
to curl my palm
round his softly
purring throat.

I smile and say
“Exalted sir,
I am so deeply honored
to act at your behest
for you are
without a doubt
such a good boy —
yes oh yes indeed
we are both,
you and I,
such good
good boys…
are we not?”

✶✶✶✶

Hugh Findlay’s writing and photography have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, in print and online. He is in the third trimester of life.