Cat On the Keyboard
Mara Lynn Barbee
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Cat on the keyboard. This was not my idea; she's making up new words where I don't want them. I'm only interested in familiar and recognized words right now. Not kljkkk or gffttttr or even iooooop. Though that one is pretty fun. But I'm trying to write, and I'm trying to make it make sense, not just syllables. A wall of fur in my face does not help, nor do extra consonants where I do not want them. Cat on the keyboard. Fur between the keys. I have to figure out how to clean this keyboard someday. Cat on the keyboard. Even dainty delicate footsteps leave quite a trail here. She does not realize. All she knows is that nothing slid out from under her; it's stable footing, and that's what counts. Cat on the keyboard. What am I to do with you? Don't come back for a second pass; stay over there. It's just as nice. But the bedspread is always softer on the other side of the laptop, to warp a different phrase. At least she didn't sit down. Wouldn't that be fun. That's the main reason I close my laptop when I leave the room. I don't want to come back to five hundred pages of the letter M. Nor to deleted documents or whatever else she could manage by stepping randomly. Cat on the keyboard. Trouble afoot. At her feet. All about those feet on the keys. I wonder what it feels like to step on these computer keys with little cat feet. Probably plenty weird, the way theyre solid but give under weight. Cat on the keyboard. A cause for some measure of annoyance, depending on personal disposition and mood, and on how much damage she does. Also cause for amusement, and diverted attention, which is often the purpose of the walk. Yes, cat; I will pay attention to you. Sit on my lap; I will even pet you. Now stay offa tha keyboard; I'm trin' ta write here. Thank you. Cat on the keyboard. Sigh. Exasperation central. Cat on the keyboard. Would be a decent name for a band, maybe with a bit of tweaking. Keyboard Cats. Cats at the Keys. KeyCats. Something like that. Cat on the keyboard. Cause for inspiration, if you're looking for it. There can be some fun names in the nonsense every once in a while, if you're into naming characters oddly. Most of the names would fit best on some alien species: one that speaks in clicks or growls or purrs. But sometimes there are pronounceable words. Not usually, though. Usually you get stuff like -- go on, cat, do it again -- kljkkkkkkkkkkk,m.