From the East Wing When Sophia Marched and The Sheep Dogs of the Old Testament

Greeting to all and welcome to new friends in Skagway Alaska

It’s amazing to watch the baby cats grow every day. They doubled in size in a week. I wouldn’t have believed, had I not seen. Mama Cass continues to just eat and serve meals. Her job is never ending. It is truly a labor of love, ya can just see it in her eyes.

We decided to move the babies from their original birth place into the Cat House which Sophia occupied some time back. After Sophia got tired of the Cat House I didn’t throw it away but put it in the outside garage, with all my other good stuff (junk).

When the Cat House was brought back to the East Wing, Sophia just strutted inside like only she can strut. Well when I told her the babies were going to use the Cat House, there was hell to pay.

Every reason in the world was brought forth. She had question of their origin, we know nothing of their father, their mother may be an illegal alien, they may be part of an Islamic Plot to overthrow the Cat House, they just don’t seem to fit our family well, the 2girldogs don’t like ‘em, they eat too much, they’re the wrong color, and the list went on and on. I told her of the six new babies, five were republicans and only one was democrat. Sophia done the math, and concluded she would have a majority, at which time she started making up the bed for the new guest of the Cat House. She even made a little sign to hang on her newly papered walls, which said, “home is where your meow is” The soft side of Sophia ? I don’t think so, just old fashion political convenience, the cat will do whatever it takes to garner a majority.

The 2girldogs are in seventh heaven on the word that President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mustina said how glad she was to be a democrat while the Gray Lady wore her little Obama for President Button. Mustina organized a little “We love Obama” demonstration out by the mailbox here on 800 South. It wasn’t meant to be much of a big deal, just the 2girldogs and three blue cat democrats from down the road. They would just march east & west across the south side of the property, along the road, maybe chase a few cars just for fun, and if they were lucky, a bicycle or two. The Gray Lady had even planned after the demonstration a buffet with little Winnies and everything. It never got to the little Winnies.

Just as the demonstration was about to get underway up pulls four Greyhound Buses. The doors open up and out comes over one hundred fifty demonstrators, with both signs ready to be painted and megaphones for yelling, accompanied by no less than twenty five dogs and cats of every size, shape and color. City dwellers all, the demonstrators looking for the sidewalk to step onto and the dogs looking for the fire hydrants after being on the bus for so long, while the cats were looking for the litter boxes.

Mustina, the organizer of the demonstration is so shocked, she ran back to the safety of the East Wing, as did the Gray Lady James. The local blue cat democrats took one look at what is getting off the bus and high tailed it home. Only Sophia stands to face the onslaught of demonstrators. Say what you may about Sophia, she does respond well in a pinch.

Sophia walks up to one of the disembarking cats and asks who’s in charge of the group. The response was what made Sophia’s day. “Nobody’s in charge, we’re send down here from Chicago by ACORN to demonstrate, they told us the ones in charge here would tell us what to do and what to write on our signs, and all we are to do is take orders.”

At which point the cat smiled said “Hello and Welcome, my name is Sophia and I’m in charge. I’m glad you were all able to be join us today for this most important celebration here at the East Wing.”

As Sophia sat about going from one to the other telling them what to write on the sign boards handing out black magic markers as she went, the 2girldogs were watching from the East Wing windows, still too intimidated to venture outside the security of the East Wing.

In no time at all signs were made, scripts were written and practiced for yelling into the megaphones, dogs were informed of the lack of hydrants and the availability of trees. All the while cats were being introduced to Starke County Sand. As Sophia beamed in admiration, the demonstration continued marching for the better part of two hours, interrupted from time to time as Sophia spent a couple minutes with each demonstrator.

By the time the TV News Crews arrived by helicopter, the demonstration was a well oiled political machine with all the participants having practiced their roles and playing to the camera. On camera, Sophia took full credit for the demonstration, describing in some detail how she had planned this event for months, the logistics involved in pulling all the necessary resources together at just the right time to make it happen, how gratifying it is to see the dream come to life, how this is her very first attempt to do anything of a political nature and that she’s so grateful for the moral support of her two best friends, the 2girldogs, Mustina James and Gray Lady James.

Sophia could have gone on another hour or two in front of the camera, but the news crew had a deadline and as they flew in to cover the demonstration, they flew out when they had enough film to edit it into 60 seconds on the ten o’clock news.

As the sounds of the helicopters faded in the wind, so did the enthusiasm for the march. The fresh cold autumn air was more than most of the city marchers could take for a longer period. As they returned to the warmth of the buses, Sophia shook hands and hugged most of them, she passed over a few, but hugged most. As the buses departed there were many waves from the windows. Sophia waved until the last bus was out of site. She turned and walked enthusiastically toward the East Wing.

Sophia’s entrance into the East Wing could only be described as a triumphal procession returning home from war. She walked over to Mustina, kissed her on both cheeks, turned to the Gray Lady and done the same thing. Walked over to the Cat House, went inside said hello to Mama Cass, kissed each baby, walked out went to her favorite place to lay down and promptly went to sleep. Sophia had done her work for the day. The 2girldogs were stunned into silence. An hour or so later the 2girldogs want to talk to Sophia, and it’s not happening, trying to get a cat to talk when they don’t want to is like trying to start your car without the motor, it won’t happen in your lifetime.

The next morning the 2girldogs are beside themselves wanting to know what happened, why did all those people show up? what did they say? what was that thing in the sky? where did they all go? Why are you so happy? At last Sophia gave in to the 2girldogs and told them what really happened to their “We love Obama” demonstration on 800 South.

It seems that when Sophia heard the 2girldogs planning the demonstration, she contacted ACORN and said she was the ACORN Czar and needed five bus loads of marchers for a demonstration. Without question the marchers were herded up and bused to the site. She told ‘em what to write for the signs, what to yell into the megaphones, and showed ‘em how to smile for the camera.

From the East Wing the 2girldogs were unable to read the signs, so Mustina asked what the signs said. Sophia didn’t remember them all but did remember the one she carried it said “Congratulations G W” Mustina asked what was G W? “George Walker” said Sophia. Mustina said “It was a We love Obama, why have George Walker on the sign?”

Sophia said “Uh Oh, I forgot to tell ya, I changed it a little. Changed it to “We Love George W Bush”, and oh by the way, I signed up 140 new members for the Red Cat Republicans, and most were former Blue Cat Democrats. I think this ACORN Czar thing is gona work out real good for me.”

I thought Mustina was gona explode she was so mad. All she could say was “You, You,, You,,, Republican YOU! Boy, was the pup baby ever hot. But as her nature, she cooled down quickly, gentle lady, the pup baby.

Sometimes I think I’m getting more out of the CCD Class at Saints Cyril & Methodius than the kids. Today the lesson was about Israel and his sons (the twelve children of Israel) We talked about the one son Joseph and how he was so different for is brothers, how God had visited him in his dreams. But it was the part of the story where Josephs’ father was concerned for his flock that made my day.

Now Israel’s family were shepherds and the boys took care of the sheep, one time the boys had been gone much longer than Israel thought they should have been. He grew concerned for his boys and also concerned for this flock of sheep. So Israel decided to have this young son Joseph go find the sheep and bring ‘em home.

A fourth grader said “Wow that story is so old, it’s before Sheep Dogs.” After I stopped laughing, we spent the remaining 15 minutes of the class talking about us going to make snow angels when it snows, and drinking double strength Orange Kool-Aid when we go on our field trip next May. Just think if we could only bottle the excitement for life shared so freely by fourth graders whether ya ask for it or not.

It’s beautiful fall days such as this that clearly makes life worth living in Indiana. Crisp morning air, bright sunshine and thoughts of how productive Israel’s boys could have been with a Sheep Dog.

The girls (2dogs, 1cat and 1wife) and I thank you for your visit this evening. As usual your presence and company has warmed the East Wing with you charm.

Stay safe in Baghdad, South Iraq and Afghanistan.

From the East Wing When Sophia Lead the March, and the Sheep Dogs of the Old Testament

I wish you well,
BobbyRay