A smart cat and a scruffy scruffy dog sat on the step together

A smart cat and a scruffy scruffy dog sat on the step together. It was some time after breakfast and a while before the scruffy dog’s walk. They often spent this time together, especially when the weather was nice. 

“You know...You aren’t very clever..” The smart cat said matter of factly. It wasn’t a question. “Infact, you’re a bit of an idiot”.

The scruffy dog, who had always thought of himself as a good boy, let his tattered ears drop in a dejected manner. “I’m a good boy,” he countered strongly. 

The smart cat arched its head up to the morning sun but cast the scruffy dog a sideways glance. He sighed. “Well yes, you are.” He had to concede. It was true after all. The scruffy dog's tail wagged in a pleased fashion.

“But you’re also an idiot, a real idiot and there are no two ways about it”  He paused to let the effect of his words sink in. The scruffy dog turned round a few times on the step and settled down again. The small bell on his collar jingled as he moved.  

The smart cat waited until he was sure he had the scruffy dogs attention before continuing. “What are you doing now for instance?” He asked.

“Sitting on the step, just like you” the scruffy dog replied in an assured fashion. 

“Ah...” The smart cat smiled knowingly. “Not just like me. You are waiting for a walk.”

The scruffy dog's tail started rapping against the cool stone step. 

“You are waiting” the smart cat continued confidently “to be told that it is acceptable for you to leave the house. Do you not see the problem with that?” The smart cat chided.

The scruffy dog cocked his head to one side making his left ear flop up and down. He thought for a long moment before replying honestly. “No, I'm looking forward to it.”

“Where as me” the smart cat said knowingly.  “I am waiting only for myself.”

“I am waiting for the time when I make a decision to move. A decision to eat. A decision to hunt. I am alive in every moment.” They sat together a while longer. The scruffy dog felt a response was expected of him, but he didn’t know what to say.  He glanced through the patio door to where their food bowls sat together next to the washing machine and remembered how good breakfast was. 

“You, my untidy friend,”  the smart cat continued “you do not have any of that. You eat when you are told to eat, you are a prisoner of these walls and fences. You sit at the feet of the master and you thank him for the scraps he gives you.”  

“You may well be a good boy,” he continued “but you are exactly what is expected and nothing more.” He looked down at his friend, softening his face. “ You are an idiot because the world is vast and boundless and you choose to leash yourself. You choose to let another make your choices. It is not your fault, I know that. There are those that crave safety and those that crave life.”

“I…” he proclaimed righteosly “I crave life”. 

Inside the house, the scruffy dog heard their master moving around, looking for keys. That meant a walk was coming soon. 

“You may be right.” The scruffy dog conceded. 

The smart cat raised his eyebrows. The smart cat was one of the great debaters, but he hadn’t expected to win this one so easily.

“I remember a year or so ago when I was a Pup.” The scruffy dog sighed heavily. “ I had 6 brothers you know. All older than me, and bigger, and none of them were nice.”  He stopped for a moment and snapped idly at a fly that ventured too close to his snout.

“It's difficult to be happy when you're always last.” His ears drooped again. “I mean there wasn’t really much to do growing up as the youngest, except sit around and beat yourself up about how unfair it all was. If you’re born in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in the wrong order. If you think about the probability of it all, where do you begin?” He gave a forlorn smile. 

“How many lads and girls” he continued “are born with that silver spoon, compared to those that aren’t?” the scruffy dog asked. “Can you do the maths to figure out who gets a fair shot and who doesn’t?”

“Now, I had a brother that was a few minutes older than me, and he was the worst. He used to say “always remember that you’re below me. I'm number 6 and you'll always be number 7.”  And that was that. You can't argue with the numbers. 

Only, one day I woke up and mum was crying. None of the other lads were talking to her so I went over. She told me 6 was gone. He got really cold and wouldn't wake up so the master took him away. I never found out what happened to him, but it makes you think right?”

The smart cat paused. “I guess it does…” He said hesitantly. 

“When you start telling yourself I’m happy ‘cause I'm a few minutes older or because I’m a bit smarter. When you put a name to it. When you say this is the thing that will make the difference… it becomes really easy to lose.”

The smart cat opened his mouth to answer but thought it best to let the silence sit for a moment. The smell of mowed grass hung in the gentle breeze. The garden was green at this time of year and the days were long. 

“Are you happy though?” He looked at the scruffy dog.  They both knew a walk was coming and the scruffy dog was starting to fidget excitedly. His tail was now drumming a steady beat against the half closed door. His tongue flapped out of the side of his mouth in a grin. 

The smart cat decided that he did not want an answer. He stretched out on the step and thought about having a nap in the morning sun.