how much are those kittens in the window?

For several long, dark months, the pet store by my house had no kittens in the window.

When I first moved downtown last September and was jobless, one of the few great joys in my life was to watch random numbers of kittens playing with one another in the pet store window by my abode. I had to pass it every time I went anywhere, and so it gave me a few moments of such joy whenever I stopped to watch. And it wasn’t a matter of “having time” to do so – it was like smelling roses, I just did it.

In any case, as winter approached, the amount of kittens in the window at any given time began to dwindle and then ceased altogether. Much dismayed, I waited patiently. Weeks went by… then months. Finally, as I purchased a new bag of food for my own senior cat, I inquired of the store owner as to the reason for the lack of kittens in the window.

“It’s not kitten season! I can’t find kittens anywhere to sell. When I do have them, they sell at one a day, which is great, but there’s just none to be found.”

Disappointed by the news, yet hopeful that soon “kitten season” would be here again, I thanked him and left.

I’m happy to report the kittens are back! There was a healthy load of six this past week all of which have been sold, but one. To watch their antics: the clawing of one another’s faces; their joyful pouncing upon nothing at all; their leaps from one side of the cage to the other; their bodies all piled up in peaceful slumber; is to be captivated by a chorus of angels. Everyone who stops by that window to watch the kittens leaves with a smile on their faces. Even those who usually dislike “cute” things; nobody can scowl at the blissful innocence of those sweet little creatures.