Waiting in the supermarket checkout queue often turns into an opportunity for spontaneous and varied conversations. In one such instance, a group of five women and three men shared snippets of their lives in the span of 30 minutes. The discussions ranged from congratulating a stranger on the birth of a sixth grandchild to commiserating over the costs of car and roof repairs, eventually landing on everyone’s favorite topics: children and animals.
The cashier, a charming lady in her 70s, had been a familiar face at the store for over 40 years. While raising her family of four, she had become a proud grandmother of two boys and had recently welcomed a baby girl into the family. The previous week, the conversation had revolved around the new kitten she had gotten for her eldest grandson’s fifth birthday. As the only person in the queue with both cats and dogs, I found myself at the center of attention.
Interestingly, while everyone had owned dogs at some point, none had kept a housecat. One lady, who grew up on a farm, reminisced about the numerous farm cats she had seen. Unfortunately, these cats rarely survived beyond three or four years when left to fend for themselves. The longevity of feral cats is often cut short by the dangers posed by vehicles, man’s fastest mode of transportation.
I shared how I had turned my two once-feral cats into housecats, a feat considered miraculous by the group, especially since I already had resident dogs. I clarified that most of the credit went to Sassoon, an ex-building site mongrel with a heart of gold. Sassoon’s care and patience had been crucial in helping the cats and dogs coexist peacefully.
Proudly showing pictures of Jack, a Yorkshire terrier who was once a hazard to humans until Sassoon rehabilitated him, I explained that training cats can be easier than training dogs, as cats quickly learn what is expected of them. This revelation sparked even more interest and appreciation from my fellow queue members, turning an ordinary wait into a delightful exchange of experiences and stories.
