A Christian radio station owner and his followers prophesy that the world will end tomorrow. Annie is blasé about the whole idea. Her world has already ended twice: once when her owner, Jane, died, and once when she moved from New York City. Chloe, though, is quite concerned. She has seen the three signs of the apocalypse:
1. The arrival of a small cat with a big voice and a gross of gressions;
2. The appearance of her home of Mexicans with mallets, demolishing the kitchen cabinets.
3. The opening of a portal to another dimension.
While I’ve assured her that as a non-theist, I won’t be raptured away, she worries that the end of the world could mean the end of feline nutrition. So I’ve put her in touch with Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA. Here’s a link to the web site: http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com/
I was discussing this organization with a friend as we drove through the suburbs to our new, luxurious supermarket, a Busch Gardens of food. As we passed the new, huge McMansions that have sprung up on former pasture land like enormous, vinyl-sided mushrooms, we were overcome with a combination of envy and disgust.
“It’s really nice that volunteers offer to adopt pets after the rapture,” said my friend, “But I’m sure those poor animals will be frightened and disoriented. Why don’t we offer to move in with the pets? That way, we could care for them in their native surroundings while enjoying the Jacuzzi and the big screen TV? After all, their owners will be beyond the pearly gates!”
So how will Annie, Chloe and I spend the evening before the end of the world? I have to do the laundry (although that could be unnecessary) and I’ll do a little painting in the kitchen. Then I’ll curl up on the sofa with my knitting, a cup of tea, and the cats to listen to NPR. In other words, on the one hand, I won't be doing anything special. But on the other hand, a quiet night with pleasant pastimes and beloved pets is quite special enough.
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