Kes

The day was a day like most other days. If I remember right, the date was Tuesday June 9th. Later I would consider this a lucky day. I was in the office playing with my two brothers and sister. A man came in to pick up some items. He and his wife had bid on them and won at the Silent Auction of the Space Coast Feline Network dinner they attended on Saturday.

My brother Charlie and I came prancing out to meet the man. He petted both of us and it felt nice. He was standing behind the swinging doors that separate the visitors from the office. All that bending over for that old man seemed like too much to me. So, I scooted under the gate to get a close-up look. The man petted me some more and then he picked me up. He was very gentle so I cranked up my best purring voice. At that point, my temporary mom Liz stopped talking on the phone and greeted the man. There was some talk and an exchange of a check for a box of goodies and then the man put me down. He went into Liz’s office to chat and was joined by Charlie and my sister. I went back to my room to play.

After a little while, Liz came into my room to get a cat carrier and then started calling me. It sure looked like I was going for a ride. None of us fur balls really like rides in cars mainly because it usually ends up seeing someone with a needle they want to stick in us. Anyway, I was good and allowed myself to be put in the cage and seat-belted into the car. Soon we were on the highway and the man put his finger into the cage. I went over so he could touch my head and lessen my fears. The ride turned out to be almost fun. Next, we drove into a garage and my new adventure really started.

We entered the house and the man put the cage down in what I would later learn was the leisure room. He let me escape and it finally dawned on me; he was going to be my forever dad. Dad gathered up some toys and I showed him how I could play. It was fun, but the best part was when he picked me up and we sat down together on his lounge chair. Since I love to be petted, I rolled around on his chest so he could pet me all over. Finally, I could take no more and fell asleep.

I woke up to a sliding door being opened and a lady walking in. She looks over and says, “Where did you get the monkey?” I didn’t like that. I have had two names in my short life. One was Monkey-Face and the other was Chi-Chi which wasn’t much better. I can’t help the way I look. I am not so sure I like this lady. That ended when she came over to dad and picked me up. I was leery of this lady, but put up a good face and looked her right in the eye. She was smiling and started to pet me. I immediately forgot about the monkey thing and warmed up to my forever mom. She asked dad what my name was and he told her it was Kes. I like it because I don’t think Kes is a monkey. Later when I got a chance I did a little Goggling and found http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Kes. My namesake is pretty. I also see that when I grow up I am going to fall in love with Neelix and finally marry Paris. I will later find out that both of these guys live in this very house.

The next thing gives me a greater appreciation for my new forever mom. She asks dad if he fed me, already knowing the answer. Mom then takes me over to the kitchen counter and immediately opens a new can of Nine Lives tuna and egg. I love the sound of that can opener. I also like the taste of that food. Later today mom will go to the store to buy me some dry kitten food. I will avoid this as much as possible with the possible exception of “soccer balling” it around the floor. That’s fun.

The rest of this day I play and play, showing my new mom and dad how happy I am. Mom also introduced me to one of my brothers called Q. He hissed at me; I hissed at him. End of conversation. I don’t need this. Next mom got out the camera. Dad tried to take a bunch of pictures. I had fun squirming around so they would be all blurry. I think I did a good job. That will teach them for calling me monkey face.

Mom is just full of surprises. She went to the other room and returned with a small basket and a towel. What is that all about? Mom put the basket on the coffee table with me and lined the basket with the towel. The next thing I know, I am in the basket and it is comfy. This is a great place to curl up and take a little nap.

As night finally comes, mom puts me in the spare bathroom to sleep. I am surrounded by familiar items and have no problem sleeping. I will do more tomorrow.

Wednesday morning mom opens my door early. It is still dark out. I am about to learn that mom and dad get up real early. It is time to drink coffee, read papers, and feed me and all my brothers. I was amazed to see the parade coming from everywhere to have breakfast. For the first time I am seeing many of my brothers. They don’t seem to mind me lounging in my basket with my belly full. They want food.

As breakfast ended I did observe a few hisses as my brothers either headed for either the front or back yard. Mom let most of them out, but some went through a little square door. I nonchalantly stroll over to it and mom shoos me away. I satisfy myself with playing with my toys. Mom has given me a bunch of balls. Some are plain and some have rattles. Some are hard and some are soft. She also gave me a few mice with little tails. I like them. I can pick them up by the tails and prance all over. I can even swing them up in the air and then chase them. This is so much fun.

Mom also gave me a scratching thing that has a track around it with a red ball. Mom and dad love to spin the ball and see me come running to stop it. I even know how to spin it myself. There are so many toys I don’t know which one to play with next.

Before the sun came up, mom went to work and I was alone with dad. He was still reading his paper so I was mostly quiet. After playing by myself for a while, I decided to take a nap on dad so I curled up on his lap while he finished the paper. Then dad got dressed and opened up a new room he calls his office. It is just filled with computers. Soon after he sat down, I jumped up on the desk and started exploring what was there. Dad was working away as I slowly walked in front of the monitors to see what was going on. I found a new game called "chase the mouse". I kept batting at it, but I could never catch it. After a while, I got tired and decided to take a nap behind the monitors. There is a towel there and I am still close to dad.

I was awakened by the phone. Dad talked to someone and later the doorbell rang. Dad and some guy went outside and I could hear them walking around the house. I saw them on the patio when I was looking out the French doors and tried to get their attention. The doors have two rows of five big glass panels and you can see the entire patio area and also the yard. I jumped as high as I could and stretched out over the bottom panel. My next attempt, I made the second panel and held on for all I was worth. Finally, I fell. I do not cry. I just continue to look out at dad and his guest. Dad does come and get me and my first adventure outside begins. Mostly, I am in his arms and am petted by both men. I do get to do a few feet of exploring before I am returned inside. I am amazed at how much I still need to explore. There is a whole world out there. Later I did a lot of napping and before I knew it mom was home. It was time to eat again and I got to see my brothers again. Mom tried to introduce me to as many as she could. I was mostly either ignored or hissed at. I miss Charlie. He doesn’t hiss at me.

After everyone was fed and back outside, mom took me out on the patio. This was exciting. I ran all over with mom following me and trying to keep me out of trouble. “Don’t worry mom. I’m a big girl.” I say. The next thing I know mom is rescuing me from what my brothers call the big water dish. I walked right in not knowing that I was too small to get out. I was scared and wet. We cats don’t like to get wet. Mom brought me inside, wrapped a towel around me and handed me to dad. He wiped me off as best as he could. I was shivering and very scared. What did I do? I opted for a very low-key evening and again went to bed without causing any trouble.

On Thursday, dad had three doctor’s appointments so I spent most of the day locked up in the bathroom. Mom is afraid I am going to figure out how to use the cat door. How will I ever learn if she doesn’t let me try?

By Friday I am finally in the groove. I have bumped noses with almost all my brothers. I seem to be ignored by the others. That big Maine Coon, Bones, seems scared of me and hisses every time he sees me. He even missed his doctor’s appointment on Wednesday because he refused to come in for dinner until he was so starved he had to.

Before you know it, the weekend is here. Mom and dad try to do a lot of chores around the house. I am left inside. I do get some visits, although I really want to be outside. After the chores are done, I am allowed back out onto the patio. I am very careful to stay away from the big water dish. Whenever I am within feet of it, mom warns me again. I did find something interesting though. I saw my first bird fly by. Boy, was that neat. To see better, I went over to the screen to look out at the yard and sky. That’s when I noticed my first lizard. They are cute. They walk up and down on the other side of the screen where I can’t get them. I really would like to play with them.

I am tired and am brought back in the house. It is getting very familiar now. It is nice to find the familiar food and water dishes and the beach thing. I know I am supposed to use the beach thing for my private needs, but it is also fun to play in. I move the sand around and throw it around. I think mom wants me to keep the sand in the sand box but what fun is that?

Sunday was extra special. I learned to talk. I really knew how before, but was saving my voice to impress mom and dad. I have already mastered my ABCs and am now learning how to read the paper. Mom and dad always laugh when I read the paper along with them.

Today I also showed dad a new trick. I run across the couch, bounce off of the armrest and jump to the top of the lamp shade. It’s a little tricky getting down but lots of fun.

I’m sure there will be new adventures next week. This is so much fun.

(Ed: Kes' brother Data > joined the family not long after she did. Maybe we'll learn more about him, or them...)