One more day spent grinding out a living for Jeanie. She hates her job, she hates her so called boyfriend, and she just wants someone to treat her the way she wants to be treated. She arrives home to her only true friend, Jasper the cat.
As she collapses on the couch Jasper is there to provide the love she can't seem to find elsewhere. She confides in Jasper all her dreams and hopes and wishes. Jasper seems to listen with rapt attention to her every word. The gentle purring of Jasper seems to relax Jeanie and she starts to feel a bit better. Thank god for cats she says to herself..
Jasper leaps from Jeanie's arms and lands on an open magazine on the coffee table. He paws at a page until Jeanie pays attention. She picks up the magazine and sees an advertisement for cat toys. A local pet store is listed and Jeanie makes note of the address. Jasper seems so excited about the ad, certainly in a way she has never seen before.
Jeanie realizes that the cat is trying to get his way, just as everyone else around her does. The difference is that Jasper loves her as no one else and therefore he must be obeyed.
Jeanie freshens and grabs her purse. She cuddles Jasper in her arms and heads for the car. She pops some Gipsy Kings in the CD player and starts to really feel better about the day. Ah, the power of cats.
At the pet store, Jeanie is searching the store looking for the toys. Bewildered, she finally taps an employee on the shoulder. At least she thinks he is an employee. She does not think a man wearing a fire engine red vest is a shopper. He turns and Jasper does the strangest thing. He leaps into the man's arms.
As if he had known the cat forever, he gently rubs his head and speaks so softly to hom that Jeanie can't hear what he is saying. "I'm so sorry" Jeanie blurts out. "He has never acted that way before. I do not know what has come over him today."
"No need to apologize." The man says. "Cats are the most independent of all the pets. Your pet knows what he wants and he goes after it. It is a he, isn't it?"
"Why yes it is! How did you know that? By the way, his name is Jasper." Jeanie said. It was at that moment that she took a good look at the man and she shuddered slightly. He was no Robert Redford but he had the softest blue eyes and an expression that said everything would be alright without saying a word.
"Jasper, what a splendiferous name! He is surely one of the most handsome cats to enter our fine pet emporium. He must get his looks from his master."
At this Jeanie blushed and seemed to be at a loss for words. Finally she said "I'm not so sure who is the master. Him or me. I am here tonight because Jasper was in a tizzy to get a cat toy. I can't seem to find them. Can you help me?"
"Certainly, I am here to serve. If you don't mind, I will carry Jasper as we go find the toys for this big boy." the man said as he led the way. "My name is Don, if you have any questions."
Jeanie guessed that Don was about six foot and pushing 250, a big teddy bear of a man. Jeanie was on the rubenesque side herself with red hair and green eyes. That was the Irish in her. Jeanie was just over five feet tall standing on her tippytoes. She weighed around 200 and thought that maybe her weight was what was holding her back.
"Here we are. We have a great selection of toys." Don said.
Jeanie thought a wicked little thought about toys when Don said it. Why did she do that? "I've got to get a grip on myself" she thought. "I'm here for Jasper" she said to herself. Jeanie was starting to perspire and she could not figure out why. She started to feel a moistness in a place one would not expect to be moist in under the circumstances.
"What sort of activities does your cat engage in? Does he like to chase or jump or bat things around? A lot of cats like soft furry balls that they can lay down and paw on" Don said.
Again Jeanie flustered at the innocent comment. Her mind was going places it did not need to go. Finally she said, " Jasper is a chaser. In fact he likes to chase the other pussies, errr, I mean cats, in the neighborhood. I'm sorry. I'm not myself today. I had a really bad day and I can't seem to get my mind focused."
" I know how that can be. I have to go home and sit under the shower massager after a long day on my feet" Don said. "It is hard to get the kinks out sometimes."
Jeanie wondered if this guy was coming on to her. He seemed to be genuine and not hitting on her. She was not sure if that was a good thing or not. Her mind was racing to places it had not been in a long, long time. " I just go home and soak in the tub" she blurted out. "Oops, I'm sorry, too much information!
"That's quite alright. I understand completely. We all have to find the best way to relax. Speaking of relaxing, I believe your cat has gone to sleep in my arms. I better let you take him back" he said as he gently placed the cat in Jeanie's arms.
