The Scottish Fold.

Stanley, the Scottish Fold, definitely has a mind of his own.

For the last couple of months, Stanley has gotten into the routine of calling me to play with him on the bed.  Once a day I hear a certain sound from him; the sound is different than any other he makes.  All of his calls are singular; he isn’t a cat that talks incessantly.  In fact, he rarely talks, so when he does, I listen.

One evening last week, I was in the living room engrossed in sorting through recipes from my grandmother.  In the background, I did hear Stanley call, but not really.  I didn’t answer him or go in to the bedroom where he was; I was so immersed in what I was doing, I didn’t pay attention.

Another five minutes went by when I heard a “thump” from the bedroom, but still I didn’t get up.  The next sound I heard was a grocery bag.

Here’s the routine:  After I make the bed in the morning, I put his grocery bag and toy mouse that has a computer chip in it so it squeaks when its moved on the bed for him.  In the evenings, I put them in the bedroom’s entertainment dresser cubby that is meant to hold a vcr/dvd player or some such equipment. 

Well, this morning, I had forgotten to put the grocery bag and toy mouse on the bed; they were still in the cubby.

The rustling of the grocery bag was getting closer.  I looked up from the living room chair to see Stanley slowly making his way down the hall with his head through the handle of the grocery bag, dragging the bag.  As soon as he got within five feet of me, he promptly laid down on the grocery bag there in the hall. 

The sight of him staring at me from on top of the bag was motivation enough for me to scoop him and the bag up, deliver them to the bed, grab the mouse he’d knocked onto the floor and start playing.

For him to maneuver jumping into the cubby, getting his neck through the bag handle, and coming to get me to play:  pretty smart cookie.

Stanley has loved playing with grocery bags since he was very young.  What a mother I am. 

Even at nearly ten years old, he’s not too old to get excited at the sound of a fresh plastic grocery bag.  He loves it when I’ve forgotten my eco-friendly bags.  And he still comes running at that sound of something being removed from plastic.  It’s almost as good as helping wrap a present.