November 18, 2004
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Cat Makes Mega-mess; Lands in Doghouse!
Had you been in the men’s room of the Wasilla Public Library a few minutes ago, you would have seen me grimly rinsing off a moccasin and muttering to myself.
I probably shouldn’t complain. Silky has been an exemplary cat, except that she doesn’t get along with other cats, and has only knocked opne thing down in months. She is sweet and affectionate and god-natured. That was then. This is now.
A few hours ago, I left for the Big Lake Library. The plan was to get lunch when I returned and then go do laundry. So I wouldn’t forget it, I put the jug of laundry detergent up on the bed. A brand-new, 100-ounce jug of liquid laundry detergent.
When I got home, it was on the floor, the top was broken, and there was 100 ounces of liquid lanudry detergent all over the cabin floor, except for what had soaked into the rug, the bottoms of the boxes of merchandise stored under the bed, and the leather soles of my best (and only) dress shoes. I was fit to be tied.
When I got done yelling and cursing, I mopped up a bunch of the stuff with my dirty laundry so I could at least do the damn laundry. Went on the porch, dumped a bunch of low-end merchandise out of a big cardboard box and started filling it with detergent-soaked newspapers. Used most of the last of my fresh water (I don’t have running water n my cabin) to rinse off my hands. I HATE having my hands sticky or slippery. I don’t mind getting shit on my hands–literally–but I HATE having them all soapy and slippery. Go figure. (And ask Kathy about the infamous salmon-sliming incident sometime. But I digress.)
So I do the laundry, and get a bunch of copies of the Talkeetna Times from the laundromat. The owner and I agreed, they are mostly just good for soaking stuff up with, anyway.
Got home, hung up the wet stuff–the silk and duo-folds–unloaded the jugs of warm water I knew I would need, and commenced putting down more paper. Fished a soapy moccasin out of the mess, brought it with me.
So that brings me full circle. The incident pretty much knocked my schedule into a cocked hat. I had wanted to do some research and post a past life reading. I wanted to go to an NA meeting. I wanted to do some serious shopping at Fred Meyer. Well, that can all wait. I wouldn’t even be here, but I had an appointment to use the computer, plus I wanted to get something quick and easy for dinner at Carr’s.
I did not kill the cat. Thought about it briefly, but the cat is still existing on this plane. Besides, one thing Kathy and I agree on (I think)–we both despise people who punish critters for behaving like critters.
And what the fuck–the floor has never been cleaner.
Comments (6)
You set yourself up again. I was reminded of the sticky, sweet-smelling coffee creamer in the car. Try to remember Murphy’s Law.
ech. there’s nothing more frustrating than cleaning up soap. shampoo, detergent…any of it. at some point you have to start laughing at the absurdity of it i suppose. or maybe at some point afterward.
A hahahahahaha!
Sorry, that was insensitive of me to laugh. But that last line was pretty funny, you’ve gotta admit.
What a mess. I can just picture how it happened. Cat jumps on bed, detergent bottle wobbles… wobbles… then, whoops! Crash! onto the floor. Cat turns tail and flees, scared shitless by the noise.
okay…I talked with Silky…what you should do is buy the CHEAPEST clumping cat litter (how funny is that given the culprit)…and put it down…wait a while and you can use a shovel or scraper of sort and pick it up in clumps…then I guess wash with clear water a few times…this should help…good luck…is the cat slipping all over or walking on top of the furniture at this point…lol…Sassy
“Luckily” most of the stuff was under the bed and/or a metal storage shelf unit. I used up a LOT of paper towels and newspaper, but I got most of the stuff up, except for a carpet square that wound up on the porch–it turned purple!
Greyfox, thanks for your work! I wrote a couple of short essays in response, in the comments section of the reading.