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Shaking up the (anti)social network

Shaking up the (anti)social network

100707-okinawa-trio-by-jmLaurel and Hardy used to lament getting into “another fine mess.”

The great wordsmith of our time, Ke$ha, sings of being a “filthy hot mess.”

And, this week, one of the awesomest AwesomeAdopters since Mrs. TwinkieCupcake has made a major mess of the social network in Suite A.

Dobro, keeping his social network in line
Dobro, keeping his social network in line

No doubt Dobro is the Mark Zuckerberg of the Suite, masterminding his own business…and everyone else’s. Pluck this guitar-named guy from the suite, and suddenly nobody would know their role anymore. He’s quiet but misses nothing (and hisses at everything). He’s the man with the master plan. He’s got the skills to pay the bills. He…okay, I’ll stop.

Fortunately, Dobro is still there.

If Dobro has all Suite A’s furry faces in his book, then Beta is his muse, his Pepper Potts, and his Della Street all in one. Walk in at just the right time and you’ll catch them in classic formation: Dobro with eyes wide and watching, Beta laying on her side, belly sort-of up, like a goddess on a half-shell. The glowy-eyed calico lets the world think that Dobro is the brains behind the operation…but Suite A’s system grinds to a halt the moment you remove brilliant, beautiful Beta.

Beta, Dobro's soul and inspiration (as beautifully captured by Denise)
Beta, Dobro's soul and inspiration (as beautifully captured by Denise)

Happily, Beta is still there.

Valencia sees Suite A from a different angle than her comrades. Literally. In a room of Van Goghs and Rembrandts, Valencia would be the lone Picasso, head tilted perpetually to one side. It’s a funny trait: cute, harmless, and utterly Valencia. Sure, it was probably caused by some persistent ear infection eons ago, but Valencia works it to her advantage. A tilty head is all the better to scope out human beans with, and report back to the mastermind and company.

Scooter, encouraging us to scoot (as bravely captured by Danielle)
Scooter, encouraging us to scoot (as bravely captured by Danielle)

Yes, Valencia is still there.

Scooter puts the wild-eyed wackitude in this feline caste system, with the crazy hair and the “demon goatee” befitting his off-kilter aura. Suite A needs Scooter’s mojo and his hiss to remind any foolish humans that this social network becomes decidedly anti-social if you’re not a cat. Of course, anyone who hangs around long enough will realize that Scooter (like Beta and Valencia and even Dobro) is just as sweet and darling a soul as any lap-cat, just in his own, touch-me-and-you’re-dead, I’ll-kill-you-with-my-mind kinda way. I’d venture to say the cat with the hair of mad scientist is a little misunderstood…and he likes it that way. Scooter helps to keep humans on their toes in Suite A.

Kimiko, Pikachu, Dobro & Miyagi, BFF
Kimiko, Pikachu, Dobro & Miyagi, BFF

As you might imagine, Scooter is still there.

That rounds out the original team of utterly awesome, human-hesitant, cat-cuddling cats of Suite A. Well…almost.

At the hub of this spinning wheel are the three Okinawans. Or, rather, they were.

Sometimes-pettable Pikachu (and his legendary belly) and his teeny, tiny, fit-’em-in-a-thimble siblings Miyagi and Kimiko, brought an exotic air to Suite A’s social network. Even if they hadn’t come 35 hours through the air and over the seas, there would be something otherworldly about this timid trio. It’s not just their supernatural cuteness or big-as-moons eyes. It’s not just their mad, matchless love for one another (and any cat within 8,000 miles). And it’s not solely the fact that they are, in fact, actual ninjas.

Miyagi & Kimiko share some Xs and Os
Miyagi & Kimiko share some Xs and Os

No, the main reason Kimiko, Pikachu and Miyagi brought rumors of another world to Suite A was this: even more than the average cat, they brought souls together. Across time and distance, cats and people linked hearts for these three. Or, more to the point, with them. To the casual observer, it would seem that people – Japanese, Americans, soldiers, spouses, even development directors – came together to help the Okinawan cats. And they did. But, I’d wager that Miyagi, Kimiko and Pikachu knew exactly what they were doing in building these bridges. You may not be able to touch them, but look at those Buddha-calm faces and you know these three are plotting something…something lovely.

So it was shocking and earthshaking (or at least Suite-shaking) when a woman with a heart as big as the Pacific sea scooped the Okinawans from their old social network…forever.

Uber-volunteer and fellow blogger John M. took this photo shortly after the Okinawans' arrival at Tabby's Place, and in the intervening year, their love has only grown.
Uber-volunteer and fellow blogger John M. took this photo shortly after the Okinawans' arrival at Tabby's Place, and in the intervening year, their love has only grown.

Believe the unbelievable: all three Okinawan cats have been adopted, together.

Truth be told, Suite A is still in a little bit of disarray from the shock. Dobro still rules, naturally, but everyone else is figuring out where the heck they now belong in the pecking order. (We’ve complicated that by bringing in anti-timid Elijah, too – but more on him in the near future.)

Suite A will always be better for having hosted the tiny Okinawan cats with the huge, wise hearts. Thanks to Pikachu, Miyagi and Kimiko, cats who may have bonded in discrete pairs now constitute a happy herd – a social network with enough love to go around (well, if you’re a cat). The Okinawans’ love for one another spilled and slopped right over the brim into the lives of other cats…not to mention lower beings like us humans.

Thanks to Miyagi, Pikachu and Kimiko, we Tabby’s Place folk and our (human) Okinawan friends are forever connected by the heart. And the AwesomeAdopter who danced into Suite A last week, ready to adopt three ninja-cats she may not be able to touch for months or more, now joins the endless story.

Even as their new lives begin in a forever home, the Okinawan cats will always be there – here – with us.

9 thoughts on “Shaking up the (anti)social network

  1. What great news! I was secretly hoping these three special kitties would be adopted by the same person, especially after making such a big journey together. Domo arigato, Ms. Awesome Adopter! 🙂

  2. Hooray! I will miss my weekly Pikachu belly rubs! I grew to love my blinking and chat times with my Kimmy and Migs. It was so much fun to work with these three. I am sooooo happy that they got adopted together. May they have a wonderous life!

  3. WOW!!!
    I didn’t see that coming!
    Congratulations all around – what an awesome blog-o-love and good news!

    Truly one of the awesomest adoptors ever. I can’t wait for the updates.

    Kathryn

  4. YAY!!!!!!! This makes me so happy I could cry (ok, maybe I actaully am a little bit)! ****SUPER HUGS**** to Ms. Awesome Adopter and the three little ninjas whom I will miss very much!

  5. Dobro’s now the Mastermind??? LOL, I love your blogs Angela!! 🙂 He has seemed a bit off his game since the Okinawa 3 left. I hope they find much love in their forever home, and Dobro learns to forgive the adopter for taking them from him!

  6. The updated herd of human~hesitant, cat~cuddling cats of Suite A (in alpabetical order) is: Beta, Cookie, Dobro, Elijah, Scooter; & Valencia

  7. Angela, now that Beta is on her way to her forever home do you think Cookie’ll step up and take her place as the number two in Dobro’s pecking order?

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