SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

Our new oil portrait of Big Footsie continues to bring smiles to us all. One of my 6th graders looked at it for a long time and then said, “It looks like Footsie is looking right at me and sees me doing something wrong and is thinking ‘I’m gonna tell!’” We laughed about that.

Some of my secondary kids walk past the portrait on the front desk and tell Footsie hello.

My 4th graders crowded ’round and talked to Big Footsie and actually petted the painting. Then they wanted to have their picture taken with it.

One of my 3rd graders just hugged the painting to her chest and then she also wanted me to take her picture with it, as did her classmates.

They all like that he is wearing his Harley-Davidson bandana in the portrait, and so do I. Some of the kids still say he was a biker dude!

It is nice, and very touching to me, the way Footsie has stayed on everyone’s mind this year. Almost 7 months have passed since the students returned to school and found out that he had died. He has definitely not been forgotten.

One of my favorite mentions of him is in a poem my 4th graders wrote earlier in the year. They called it “Fourth Graders Rule!”

One of the verses reads, “Scissors, markers, crayons and glue. We all like to do art, too. The bells are ringing in our heads. We are wishing Big Footsie wasn’t dead.”

When their teacher brought it to me she wasn’t sure how I’d react, but I loved it, and it made me laugh.

Trinity is a junior now; she has been my student since kindergarten. She has loved all the Library Cats, and she grew up with Big Footsie.

Looking at his portrait, she talked for a long time about him and his effect on her. She said her Granny commented that she doesn’t pick up her own cat, Miss Kitty, and carry her around and wondered why. Trinity says that is because she “learned on Big Footsie” and he never liked to be picked up and carried. She and Footsie were truly buddies.

As we close in on spring break and then the end of the year, we have a few loose ends to tie up.

We still need to find an Assistant Library Cat for Alex; Big Footsie, after all, had 4 assistants at one point.

And we need to decide if “Footsie’s Favorites,” those Accelerated Reader books that earn students prizes when their quizzes are passed, are going to be renamed.

I think I will throw that question out to my 5th and 6th graders and see what they think. They’ve proven to be very wise this year!

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

If Alex is wearing green it must be…close to St. Patrick’s Day!

My second graders are planning a surprise for him.

“Shhhhh,” one of them whispered. “We can’t let Alex know what we are doing.” What was happening was gardening in the library. We planted some SmartyKat Sweet Greens Cat Grass, guaranteed to sprout and produce yummy green grass for a St. Patrick’s Day treat for Alex.

We all tiptoed through my office and whispered as we got some water for the grass, and we are pretty sure Alex didn’t figure out what we were up to.

Planting done, we settled down to a Dr. Seuss story.

The girls made sure that Alex got a Cat in the Hat sticker for his bandana. At first he sat with us to listen to the story but then spotted a toy ball and playtime started.

As I read the story, Alex got a chance to chase balls and toy mice, which the girls threw for him, and play with his wand toys.

Today we let our Books Before Cats rule get just a little off-track. We had Gardening Before Books Combined With Alex’s Playtime. Hey, rules are made to be broken, aren’t they, or at least bent a little?

Normally after a day with two cans of Fancy Feast Appetizers and a playtime on the job as well as his serious duties as Library Cat, Alex would get to go home and sleep.

Not this day, though! He had an after-hours gig at the Afterthought as the greeter for a Feline Rescue and Rehome fundraiser, courtesy of fine musician and cat lover Ramona Smith!

As usual, he was a big hit as we stood outside to welcome people.

He dressed up for the gig, wearing his green coat and switching to a festive holiday bandana adorned with shamrocks.

It was a late night for him, but I’m pretty sure all the extra petting and admiration made it worthwhile. I have noticed, though, that he is sleeping on the job this morning.

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

I brought something new to school with me this morning! Little Rock artist Rene Hein just completed a portrait of our Big Footsie in oil and it is now on the front desk for everyone to admire.

Mary and Lea showed it to Alex. He seemed to be appropriately impressed, and he rubbed the edge of it over and over to mark it with his scent. Was he possibly thinking, “Welcome back to your library, Footsie?”

Then all of a sudden he jumped down.

“He is leaving to go and cry,” said Mary. “He misses Big Footsie so much. Just like we do.”

Turning back to the picture, the girls especially loved the way his eyes were captured perfectly, and so do I. We could almost feel Footsie looking right at us.

Later in the morning, my second graders were here. As they lined up at the desk to leave after library skills and a Dr. Seuss story, Happy Birthday to You!, read in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, they stopped to pet Alex.

Almost in unison, when they saw the portrait, they whispered, “Awesome!”

They meant the portrait, but I think Alex thought they were talking about him!

He proceeded to roll and switch his tail and hit Bailey in the face with it.

“He’s making me a moustache,” she laughed! She then gave him a big kiss. That Alex is pretty awesome.

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

Most of the time Alex is a pretty darn laid back guy. He handles fire drills and tornado drills just fine, and he doesn’t even move a whisker when the bell rings even if he is sitting on the front desk right beneath it.

But vacuum cleaners — that is an entirely different thing. Alex hates the sound of the vacuum cleaner!

Most mornings, Ms. Verda comes in to vacuum the library, and when she leaves I know exactly where to look to find a hiding Mr. Alex.

At the first hum of the vacuum he heads to my back office and goes right behind my computer monitor where he stays ‘til the coast is clear.

He came out of hiding today to the sound of the voices of my second graders. They were all excited because they have learned how to do cartwheels.

So Alex sat in his bed on the front desk while they showed us what they can do. We do have our rule, Books Before Cats, but nowhere does it say anything about Books Before Cartwheels!

After the cartwheel show, the girls got bubble gum treats for passing quizzes on Footsie’s Favorites, and of course Alex had to have treats, too.

As he ate from their hands they giggled as they told us, “It tickles!”

Watching him gobble up the green treats one student asked if he could see their color. We stopped and checked on the Internet to see just what colors cats can see, and sure enough, green and blue are the two they see best.

Then it was down to work on Library Skills for us and time for a nap for Alex!

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

Some of my favorite times in the Library are when it is fairly peaceful and I have kids in here that I don’t see as often and there is time to just visit with them.

Most of the time Alex is part of that conversation if not the main topic.

Today, Alex was in his bed on the front desk, decked out not in a bandana but in the tie he got for Dress-up Day during Spirit Week. His last place trophy was prominently displayed close by.

One of my students stopped by the desk to hang out and asked if that was Alex’s Homecoming Parade trophy.

Assured that it was, (I didn’t have to mention last place; everyone knows that!) my student went on to tell me his idea to make sure Alex doesn’t end up in last place again.

“You know,” he said, “Alex can win next year if you dress him like a lion and put him high up on a throne. Let the hair on the end of his tail grow out and let the fur on his neck grow out into a ruff. If he does that and he wears his tie he will get lst place.” I bet he would, too!

My student went on to ask, “Did Big Footsie ever win a trophy?”

No, Footsie hadn’t.

“Then I bet he’d be proud of Alex and say that he taught him everything he knows.”

Big Footsie would no doubt be proud of Alex; all the rest of us are, too! Maybe I’ll go on and give him that second can of Fancy Feast he has been asking for all morning.

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

It was a calm day in the library. Alex had spent the morning chasing jingly balls around the reading room and rolling in the sunshine coming in the windows.

He then donned his real, thrown-from-floats-in-the-French-Quarter Mardi Gras beads. One of Big Footsie’s friends had sent them to him last year and, as Footsie did, Alex seemed to wear them with pride, not irritation.

Then it all changed, and now Alex is the talk of the school.

I went down to the cafeteria during secondary lunch to get some coffee and as I got off the elevator someone called out, “Oh, you must have heard. Are you coming to get Alex’s trophy?”

Trophy? This was the first I’d heard of any trophy. “For the Homecoming Parade,” I was told.

I’d forgotten that the parade entries were judged because I never try to decorate with anything but a sign.

That may be about to change, though. As trophies were awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place I waited. And then the Staff Division prize for, um, last place was awarded…to “ALEX THE CAT!”

Last place? That goes to the entry judged to have the least inspired…most uncreative…well, worst decorations!

After lunch Mary and Trinity were in the library and we were talking about the trophy.

“Allie, you are so beyond last place,” said Trinity. “Don’t worry, you were just misjudged!”

And then she turned to me. “Ms. Loesch,” she said, “You’ve just gotta do something better next year for Al.” She didn’t have to tell me that; I was already thinking the same thing.

Even today when my first graders came in one said, the minute he hit the door, “So Alex was in last place? Was he in 4th or 5th?”

“No,” said another student. “He was the very last.”

“We are sure not going to be in last place next year,” I assured them!

Alex and I could be discouraged, but actually we are not. I mean, hey, at least we have a trophy. How many people are there on campus with no trophy at all! It is all in how you look at it and all in fun.

SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

Valentine’s Day…a day that was much more to Alex’s liking than the snow days we had earlier in the week!

Since the holiday fell on Sunday, students at the Arkansas School for the Blind celebrated the Friday before.

Alex had a good time hanging out with our secondary students looking at their balloons, candy and stuffed animals. “No, Alex, no chocolate for you!” He got a kitty treat instead.

Brandon and Brianna brought Alex valentines, and Brandon brought him balls with bells in them!

Alex got lots of hugs and then played with the balls, batting them around my office, slipping and sliding on the tile floor.

Mary admired Alex’s bandana with hearts on it.

“D-O-G?” she spelled out as she covered Alex’s ears?

“Nope, P-E-O-P-L-E,” I spelled back.

She uncovered Alex’s ears then.

We started the habit with Big Footsie of never letting him know that most of his bandanas were made for…shhhhhh…dogs.

It really is hard to find a bandana made for a cat, so we improvise.

We never told Footsie or Alex that their Harley-Davidson bandana was not only not a cat bandana but not a dog one either.

It came from Build-a-Bear.

Some things are just better left unsaid!

SUSAN LOESCH
CATS IN THE STACKS

Let it snow, let it snow!! And boy, did it. Since the Arkansas School for the Blind is a state agency rather than a public school we often are here when other schools are out for snow days, especially when we have residential students on campus. That was the case Monday; I had secondary kids in the library and we were all glued to the window as the snow came down in big flakes.

“Does Alex like the snow?” Mary asked.

I didn’t know the answer because he has never been out in it. “We can find out,” I told her.

We wrapped Alex up in a blanket and the whole gang headed out to the snow-covered fire escape. The kids were excited at the snow and Alex was…not impressed at all!

He kept shaking his head as big wet flakes landed on his face so we went back in to dry him off.

He got a snack of Fancy Feast and lots of petting and hugs as a reward for braving the elements.

Since most of our nutrition staff hadn’t made it to work teachers and aides pinch-hit in the kitchen making sandwiches and serving lunch.

As the snow came down harder and harder the kids were sent back to the dorms and we were able to go home.

We may complain about having to be in school when others are out, but actually we always have a fun day! And when other schools are doing make-up days we are really glad we had to come.

SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

It didn’t rain on our parade today! We all came to school this morning hoping the
weather would cooperate so that our Homecoming Parade could happen, and it did.

The final decision wasn’t made until after first period; Alex occupied his time by visiting classrooms and showing off his gold bandana with the black lion on it – after all, we are the School for the Blind Lions and this was Color Day!

He spent some time in an English class; he seemed to be thinking that Chris might need some help on the paper he was working on.

Once the parade was a GO, everyone went outside to finish their floats and get lined up.

Alex wore his green coat with the faux fur-lined hood since it was pretty cool.

He visited with Craig O’Neill and met the Parkview High School Mimes. He posed at the preschool float and then settled in the back of his truck. Brianna and a couple of my high school boys rode with us.

The weather stayed good and we had a great time as we wound through Hillcrest.

Our parade is an annual event, and many people come out to wave and shout as we go by.

Brianna kept asking me if it was nearly over.

I thought she was tired or cold and was ready to be back at school, but when I asked her she said, “NO! I want it to go on FOREVER!”

Alex got an extra can of Fancy Feast, his second for the day, as his reward after the parade.

His buddy Mary came by to visit with him and decorated him with Mardi Gras beads.

As I took their picture we noticed that Alex’s eyes were closing. …

Nap time, for sure, after a job well done!

SUSAN LOESCH

CATS IN THE STACKS

I’ve always thought of January and February as the draggy, dull months in the school year. Alex assures me that isn’t so, at least for him.

Last week, our secondary social studies students staged a history parade, complete with costumes, signs and drums. Alex had to go out and see what was happening in the hall, and he had his picture taken with the group.

One student in the parade was our exchange student from Turkey.

As Alex was passed from person to person, our new student asked if she could hold him.

“Of course,” I said. I was aware that she hadn’t petted him or held him while hanging out in the library. I soon found out why.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “This is the first time in my life I have ever held an animal!”

How exciting to be a part of her warming up to Alex and maybe taking her first steps toward becoming a lifelong animal lover!

We have been anxiously watching the weather reports this week! It is Spirit Week at Arkansas School for the Blind, leading up to our Homecoming Parade, winding through Hillcrest, on Friday. We are not liking the 80% rain chance.

Spirit Week, though, is in high gear and Alex is involved to the max.

On Stars and Stripes Day, he wore his flag-print bandana and posed with his secondary buddies who also wore red, white and blue.

For Fairy Tale Day, he dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, complete with red cape, and hung out for a while with Makayla, who was dressed as the same character.

On Western Day, Alex wore a wild mustang-print bandana. Alas, little kitty cowboy boots were nowhere to be found, which is probably why Alex was so happy all day!

After Dress-Up Day, wearing a tie, Alex will ride in his own float Friday in the parade.

We have finished the big signs with his picture and the words “Alex, ASB Library Cat.”
This will be Alex’s first Homecoming Parade and he is ready to roll!