SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

“Wow, what are you and Allie doing here?” This came from Trinity and her Granny who were waiting for the first bell when I came in this morning – early.

Early is not something we usually do! Today, however, we have monitors from the State Department of Education visiting, and I wanted to take a last look around the library and have it open and welcoming on time.

Alex is oblivious to my reasoning; he just knows that if he lets me get that shamrock print bandana on him he can have his first can of Fancy Feast earlier than usual. When he heads to my desk for a snooze he might notice something else unusual; it is very neat.

As the monitoring visit was on everyone’s mind this week, Alex went about his usual duties.

He joined the sixth graders for a lesson on award-winning books and listened while I read one, a “little kids’ book”, Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont.

“Make room, raccoon! Skit-scat, cat! Move over, Rover!” We talked about the days when they really were “little kids” and I read to them every week.

A friend donated the most wonderful big book to our library, Wild Animals, by Patrick Hook.

The book is huge and has giant full-page color photographs. I had told my 4th graders that I had the book, and they could hardly wait to finish library skills to look at it. We all plopped down on the floor with it, and the boys explained all the animals to Alex.

In the middle of a week filled with both anticipation and ordinary-ness, there was one amazing thing that happened.

It didn’t get a lot of attention and the moment didn’t last long, but it was one of the best things to happen here all year.

Zee, our exchange student from Turkey, was in the library. Last fall she showed a little interest in Alex, saying that when she petted him it was the first time in her life she had ever petted an animal; she was actually afraid of dogs and cats.

A few of us have encouraged her to pet him every time she comes to the library, but she has still seemed hesitant. I’ve just been waiting for Alex to work his magic on her!

As she was leaving, she stopped at the desk and asked where Alex was. I brought him out, and she began to pet him and exclaim, “Oh, Alex, you are so soft. I just love you.”

She put her head down to his and said, “I have always been afraid of cats. Alex is the first one I can love!” She petted him and talked to him for so long I was afraid she’d be tardy to her next class. I was speechless, another unusual thing!

After she left I opened Alex’s second can of Fancy Feast for the day, and he didn’t even have to ask for it. Later that day, I told Trinity what had happened and she petted Alex and praised him, and I think he was actually smiling.