Beautiful Aiden is remarkably adaptable. A week ago he was bound for New York City through Travelocity in a rescue operation that involved the world's greatest living harpsichordist. She had a sterling reputation as the savior of West Side feral cats, igniting food drives to sustain them through bitter winters.
Meanwhile, in sunny California, too many landlords had written cats out of lease after lease, making my Berkeley relocation one of the most difficult life transitions.
After dizzying bi-coastal phone calls, reservations were booked for one precious feline to make his safe passage to an acoustically divine space, though the "color change" driven by a plectrum stroke as opposed to a hammer strike against a piano string might unnerve him.
But I was a lot more concerned about Aiden's adjustment to living with another cat and dog. As a prelude to his touchdown on the East Coast, I was informed that a king pin pooch would give my cat a "runaround" which was the antithesis of his pastoral existence in California. I just couldn't imagine my serene, piano bench potato anxiously eluding Fido's advances, while a divine Bach Sarabande was an ineffectual tranquillizer. Just maybe Aiden would retaliate against his canine pursuer by slapping the resident cat who had first rights to the litter box. A full scale brawl might ensue!
My worries were quickly dispellled by a video taken during a yard sale showing Aiden kissing up to a German Shepherd he had just met. The footage verified that my cat would lie on his back with complete trust even in the presence of a perfect stranger.
Still, I wanted my cat to live closer to me so I could Amtrak into the Central Valley and catch up with him from time to time.
My prayers were answered.
A local piano teacher came forward and adopted Aiden after accepting my singing nightingale, "Haddy" Haddorff into her music room in a loan arrangement. As icing on the cake Aiden cat would be spared the abysmal summer heat by inhabiting a cabin in the mountains. It was a win-win situation for pet and piano!
A day into his adoption, Aiden has made himself quite comfortable as reflected in the attached photos.
What could be more of a blessing? My cat perched on "Haddy," in the comfort of his soft piano bench cushion that I sent over in the transfer.
He's in heaven, and I'm at peace!
