Recently a local radio station had a 90s weekend.
This simultaneously:
1. made me feel exceedingly old, and;
2. afforded the opportunity to be reminded of Shakespeare-worthy lyrics like “not vicious or malicious/just lovely and delicious.”
Which brings me to Queen.
I’d like very much to say that Queen is exclusively the “lovely and delicious” side of the equation. No cat is ever “vicious or malicious,” right?
Right?
Um. Let’s just go with another quality 90s lyric: “Mama said knock you out.”
Or perhaps, “so please get off my back/or I will attack/and you don’t want that.” Snap!
For quite a while now, Queen has dwelt in the Community Room at Tabby’s Place. This is a plum position. The majority of cats who are not insane in the membrane consider it a plum position.
Queen, on the other hand, isn’t entirely convinced it’s so lovely and delicious.
Queen does not enjoy humans. Queen does not enjoy cats. Queen would like to say “bye bye bye” to all living beings who are not Her Majesty.
Queen does, however, enjoy reigning, which carries the annoying requirement of having subjects. She’ll put up with us – just barely – if necessary. She’s far too legit to quit.
But all of this raises a conundrum for the other Community Room creatures (humanoid and otherwise). No one – noooooooo one – is immune to Queen’s personal reign of terror. Our little dynast doesn’t hesitate to jump up jump up and get down even on fragile 17-year-old Franny. Gentle Colleen‘s poky pacing draws out Queen’s most condescending snarl (translated “as if!”). If she had opposable thumbs, Queen would be using them to form an L on her forehead every time another cat passed by.
No one is so much the subject of Queen’s simpering scorn as the humans, however. For reasons unknown to anyone but Queen, Her Majesty has chosen my desk as her throne. Personally, I think she’s far more suited to a chair made of swords than a fleece donut, but close enough. Queen does not like me. (Unless “liking” is displayed by launching out, teeth first, when I am anywhere within 6 feet of her. Queen is Stretch Armstrong of the teeth. And she’s probably going to bite me again for saying that.) Queen does not like my decor (“pictures of cats? really?”). Queen doesn’t even like my post-it notes and scissors (“pink??!! TURQUOISE? I HATE COLORS!!!”).
She does, however, like – nay, love with a mighty ardor – distressing Webster.
Yes, the Best Cat In The History Of Existence is quaking in his Hammer pants under the harsh hand of the Queen.
Lest you think this is all just a bunch of hissing and posturing, let me set the record straight: this is not a game. Queen uses her teeth and her screams and her all-powerful power of the stinkeye to beat her opponents into submission. And Webster and I…well, we are beaten. Like eggs. Or Ace of Base on the post-90s charts.
But here’s the funny thing: we love Queen anyway. (OK, we humans do. The cats are perfectly happy to ship her to Abu Dhabi. Webster will personally write the mailing label.)
As I type this post, Webster is sleeping in the fleece donut on my desk, and Queen is making bizarre noises and emitting assorted odors and vapors from behind my computer monitor. (Yes, Her Majesty is both noisy and flatulent. It’s the best of Marie Antoinette and Henry VIII, all wrapped up in one tiny dictator.) Due to a uniquely malformed soft palate, Queen continually makes soft sounds along the lines of “hnnnnnnnnhhh” (translation: “I am superior”). I’ve come to love her hummy sound, her angelic face, her unsinkable sense of self.
I confess I’m far less crazy about her attacks. But the first rule of the Community Room is that no cat leaves the Community Room.* It’s the Hotel California of Tabby’s Place.
And so we hail the Queen.
Hnnnnnnnnh indeed.
*Yes, there are exceptions. Or, more to the point, one exception, ever.
Angela, you’re quite mistaken there are at least two notable exceptions: Peachy and a male whose name I can’t think of at the moment but he was white with a black splotch around his eye who got evicted from the community room for being too aggressive.
Ah come on Angela! Queen is a sweetheart who is just misunderstood. Once she gets Webster in line they will probably be best of friends–. How can Webster resist such a cutiepie!
Auntie Angela,
Please don’t tell me you forgot about me… I took myself out of the community room to explore the big world on the other side of the door. Of course I did come back in to visit so maybe I didn’t fully leave… I had the best of both worlds, Community Room & Lobby!
Love, Bialy
Bialy! I love and miss you!! Hope you’re enjoying your forever home!!!
mishale70,
Thanks for thinking of me! Life is great here! You can read about me in the current Tabby’s Place newsletter.
Love, Bialy
and silly me…knowing none of this, walked right up to that cute face and smooshed her…and I’ve lived to tell about it!
Her last couple of weeks in suite B, she was actually coming up for pets and attention, no snarls or bites. I was quite surprised!
All hail the Queen!!! I like a feisty kitty!
OK, everybody calm down and hold your horses. 🙂
You are all quite correct that many a cat has left the Community Room of his/her own volition. I referred solely to the one and only boy who’s been banished. Lynnwebb, I confess I am not remembering the story of the black-and-white male you mentioned.
Bialy: do you really think I could forget you? Maybe when the sun rises in the west and the seas turn into dry land, but…nah, not even then.
Artful Dodger: I knew you’d rise up in Queenie’s defense. 😉 I hereby challenge you to
a duelspending one hour seated at my desk, attempting to use the keyboard and/or obtain writing implements from the pen cup. We shall compare scars then, my friend.Everybody who has had peaceable interactions with Queen: Be aware that you are simply being tenderized for her future consumption. 😉
Oh Angela – if she even terrorizes Webster, then that’s pretty bad! Maybe she needs a touch of Prozac to calm her down? Or maybe kick her snotty butt into the lobby with Gingko, Boot, & Gunther and see who comes out on top. (I’m kidding, that’s too mean. The boys might whoop her butt) hehehe 🙂
Angela, I know you’d NEVER forget our Bobble Baby! It’s odd, Queen is nice with me on Sundays, it’s your Webby I have to be careful with! Maybe they both need to spend time with Sluggo.
🙂
Lyn