It's the Thought That Counts

摘要

My husband and I have refinished the doors in our house three times in the past two years. The reason is our cat, Alley, who is a nearsighted klutz: kind of a Mrs. Magoo with fur. But we embrace the many quirks of our rescued foundling, from her need to sleep wrapped around my neck to her complete and total aversion to closed doors. To her, closed doors are the enemy. That includes the evil coat-closet door, the sinister pantry door, and the dreaded bathroom door, which she has learned to push open—self-taught—to the surprise of houseguests who are heard to mutter, "Wait, wait! There's someone in here!" Any door she can't open by herself must be opened immediately by the nearest owner of an opposable thumb. Hesitation results in an ear-splitting chorus of yowling and scratching, culminating in the need to sand and repaint the door.