Cat Tales in the Morning

By Mike Johnson

I love the smell of cattails in the morning. Not these, but a literal cat tail.

During early mornings, I enjoy burning a coffee candle and my cat enjoys purring next to it on my desk. You might detect where this is heading.

If only there had been enough time to grab a camera.

Sure enough, the cat's fluffy appendage lazily swished in the wrong place and her tail ignited.

It was a tie who leaped higher. Had there been video, it would've gone viral, and right now, I'd be booking a flight to "Ellen."

I leaped toward the cat who was desperately sprinting away from her flaming tail. Now she had to escape the panicked human too.

Down the stairs we lurched, cat expelling burnt hair counter-measures to slow my chase.

Apparently cat hair is fire resistant. By the time she paused under the desk downstairs, the flames had gone out. The odor, however, remained.

I looked at her. She looked at me. She burst out laughing.

Well, she almost smiled. Then purred and let me pick her up to survey the damage. Just cosmetic, no burned skin.

Now she's back on my desk, safely away from the candle, licking her singed hair.

How's your day starting?

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