Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

What, No T-Rex in Borneo?


new species of "cat" found in Borneo

Of all the things to be newly-discovered on Borneo Island, it figures that the latest would be a cat. Since 1994 over 360 new species have been discovered on this island which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Brunei? at least I've heard of the other two). Most of those new discoveries are said to be insects or plants...and now, just what the earth doesn't need: another cat. I suspect that the reason it took so long to discover it was that the darn thing just wouldn't come for its Whiskas when the dish was set out. It was busy ignoring people like its domesticated bretheren (and sisteren, one would suppose). Of course, we should have suspected because the island was COVERED with red hairballs that did not come from some insect or plant and there was a decided shortage of catnip in Brunei. And, surely, someone noticed that the beaches of Borneo resembled a litter box that emitted a pleasant smell every time one took a step. Perhaps it was that set of clues that convinced scientists to place motion-triggered cameras in the jungle to catch a glimpse of this new species. I mean, who goes around setting up expensive cameras in hopes of finding a new cat? Imagine the fight three countries will have over the naming rights to this thing.

Scientist A: "What should we call this new feline?"
Scientist B: "It doesn't matter. It won't come anyway!"
Scientist C: "Uhhh...Herekittykittykitty?"

Ogden Nash poem which I remember from grade school at St. John's in Iola:
"The problem with a kitten is that
Eventually, it becomes a cat."

You can see why Nash was my favorite poet: not because I really don't like cats, and I don't; because all of his poems were about three lines long and somewhat humorous. But now, I have to share the planet with yet another critter who seems indifferent to an obviously superior creature: man. The conundrum is that when I'm around cats, they seem to think I'm some kind of movable cat playground, and they climb all over me. Trying to be polite is not always easy, but putting my daughter's cat's head in a clamp didn't win me any points, either. OK, OK cat lovers, I didn't really squeeze its tiny head too hard before Raquel pointed out that I really shouldn't be doing that. Will I cat-sit for her anytime soon? Highly unlikely (wasn't he the deposed king of Ethiopia or somewhere like that?). She and all you other feline-fanciers are welcome to them...in Borneo.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home