Queenie

This article has been submitted by a GrownUps member. GrownUps accepts no liability for its content and the views and information contained within are not necessarily those of the GrownUps website.

Following a disastrous ‘let’s try living together for a while’ situation that everyone, save herself, knew would come to an unhappy conclusion, Melissa appreciated her independence. With no one in her personal space she was free to eat, sleep, and read to her heart’s content.

As a junior photographer on a national women's magazine she sometimes arrived home feeling irritable. The welcoming peace soothed the tension allowing her to relax and enjoy her privacy. Until she got ‘the phone call.’

‘Hi, Lissa, it’s Jen. How’re you doing?’
‘Oh! I’m fine, thanks Jen, though why, Oh! why, I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me about Dylan, I’ll never know? The only decent thing about him was his name!’
‘Well,’ Jen said, gently, ‘At least it only took a short time for you realise your mistake. And we’re all entitled to make mistakes.’
Melissa grinned. ‘Jen, you always manage to say the right thing. Just talking to you makes me feel less foolish.’
‘You know, Lissa, the last people we take any notice of are usually our friends or family. Anyway, I’m glad you’re feeling better. Moping never did do any good.’ It was then that Jen dropped the bombshell; the reason for, what Melissa now referred to as ‘the phone call’.
‘The animal shelter is closing. It’s an absolute disaster!’ Jen sounded distraught. ‘We have to find homes for all the animals. Those we can’t place will have to be put down.’
‘Oh! Jen, I’m so sorry.
‘Lissa, as one of your oldest and dearest friends, I’m asking for your help. Could you possibly see your way to…..’

‘Jen!’ Melissa stopped her friend in mid-sentence. ‘Are you going to say what I think you’re going to say?’
Jen spoke quickly before Melissa could interrupt her again.
‘What I’m saying is that there’s an absolutely gorgeous cat at the shelter - she’s about a year old, housetrained, and I know, I just know, you will love her at first sight - I’d take her home myself, but my place is already bursting at the seams with furry friends. So I’m asking you, as a special friend, to let me bring her round so you can see for yourself. It’ll only be for a couple of days, just until we can find her a permanent home.’
‘Jen, much as I’d love to help you out, haven’t you forgotten one small detail about me? You know full well that I’m allergic to cat’s fur. Or any fur for that matter.’
‘Lissa, please’, begged Jen, ‘couldn’t you just try again? She’s such a beautiful cat; I know you’ll adore her. I’ll bring her round later so you can see for yourself.’
Leaving Melissa no time to object, Jen said a speedy ‘Bye for now,’ and the phone call ended.

Later that evening Jen proved that she knew her friend better than she knew herself because from the moment Melissa laid eyes on the silver-grey, longhaired, green-eyed cat she felt an instant affinity towards it. As soon as the cat set her four white-tipped paws inside the door Melissa was well and truly hooked. After sniffing every article of furniture in the room, seemingly satisfied with its surroundings, the cat finally settled down amidst the cushions on Melissa’s favourite chair.
‘That’s just typical,’ remarked Jen, a broad smile lighting up her eyes. ‘Cats always know where they’re welcome.’
Melissa responded with a serious tone in her voice.
‘Don’t speak too soon. The minute I start sneezing it’s all over. In the meantime I’ll make coffee.’

Drinking their coffee they watched the cat, waiting for the anticipated sneezing to begin. Ten minutes later, empty cups on the table, not a single sneeze had issued forth. In her predictable forthright manner, Jen made the final decision.
‘It’s settled, then. That’s one less animal for I have to find a home for. I mean, not right now anyway. Thanks, Mel. You won’t regret it. She’s just right for you and, here, I’ve even brought some food for her.’

Melissa’s faint protests went unheeded as she made the acquaintance of this new addition to her life. She studied the cat who decided, at that moment, to abandon the cushions and the chair. Springing lightly to the floor she made her way to the rug. She seemed to hardly stop between the action of walking and sitting, merely sinking into a comfortable position on the floor, her front legs stretched straight out in front of her. Melissa was reminded of a slow slide into a calm pool that showed no sign of ripples.

‘Well, you certainly are a beautiful cat, no doubt about that. I’ll call you ‘Queenie’ for now because you do have a certain regal air about you.’ Melissa plumped up the cushions in her chair, making herself comfortable only moments before Queenie jumped up beside her. Purring filled the space around her; the cat stretched out to welcome Melissa’s touch. Her allergy to fur ceased to exist!

She looked forward, now, to getting home each evening, knowing that Queenie would be waiting at the door, turning herself inside out with pleasure; lying on her back, rolling first one way, then the other, before circling Melissa’s legs, pushing against them with all the strength she could muster.

Queenie’s delight was in getting on to tables, into cupboards, lying on newspapers, in the washing basket and if ever she spied a cardboard box she immediately jumped inside and settled down. Even the cane waste paper basket had been explored though it proved rather a tight squeeze.

Melissa, once seeing her perched in front of the dressing table mirror, was taken aback by the beautiful double picture held in her photographer’s eye. Spontaneously picking up her camera she hastily made shutter adjustments before catching the image on film. From that moment Queenie became the focus of Melissa’s attention. The cat was a consummate model, posing as if she knew the function of a camera. Queenie’s round, bright green eyes never blinked during the flash while her body remained perfectly motionless.

In the deep red glow of the dark room Melissa processed the roll of film finding herself amazed at the results. Just as fashion photographers often noticed the way in which a particular model made their camera hungry for more, so Melissa had the same feeling about Queenie. Perfectly poised, wonderfully balanced while showing numerous and distinct expressions Melissa knew with certainty that her pet was special. She telephoned Jen.
‘Hello, Jen. I’ve a surprise show you. Any chance of you coming around to my place this evening?’

‘Sounds intriguing. I can tell by your voice there’s no chance of you telling me what it is right now. I’ll be there shortly.’
By the time Jen arrived Melissa had spread the photographs on the table.
‘Oh, Mel! These are wonderful. Didn’t I say she was a great cat? Have you shown them to Roz yet? I’m certain she could use them in the magazine.’
‘You really think it’s worth letting my editor look at them?’
‘I think you’d be a fool not to let her at least see them. At worst she’ll tell you to put them in your photo album, but at best she could say you’re one great photographer with a definite future in the business.’
Arriving at the Magazine Offices the next morning Melissa presented herself to the Editor. She put the prints on the desk and Roz was acutely aware of the animation in the face of her young photographer.

‘Roz, I have this beautiful cat who seems to love my camera. I’ve taken dozens of photos of her and I’d really value your opinion of them. What I really mean is – do you think they are any good? Am I on the right track? I really want to succeed in this business and the cat’s a perfect model.’

After studying them for a few moments Roz looked steadily at the girl standing nervously in front of her.
‘Mel, these are wonderful pics. This is one gorgeous cat; you’ve captured the very essence of the animal.’
Roz studied the photos more fully before selecting one, holding it out in front of her. There was Queenie sitting on the dressing table, her opposite image reflected in the mirror.
‘In fact,’ Roz continued, ‘You’ve given me an idea. We'll run a photographic competition with cats as the subject. And to give our readers inspiration I’m prepared to put this picture on the front cover of the magazine.’

Melissa barely contained her excitement.
‘I guess that means my pictures are quite satisfactory.’
‘Oh, Melissa. They are much, much more than satisfactory. You have real talent’.
Melissa tried not to sound flippant as she answered.
‘I don’t have a problem with that.’
Leaning across the desk, she tapped one manicured finger on the cat’s image.
‘The only problem might be - if ever I start sneezing….!’

print