My all-time favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen.
When I saw that it was on television last Sunday night, I tuned in and settled back to watch it for the umpteenth time. It’s one of my Christmas rituals.
It was getting close to an emotional scene where soldiers from a World War II Army division surprise their former commanding officer by showing up on Christmas Eve. They sing this wonderful song. “We’ll follow the old man wherever he wants to go, Long as he wants to go…Because we love him, we love him, especially when he keeps us on the ball.”
Hearing grown men unabashedly sing out their affection for their leader never fails to reduce me to a mound of mush. That, plus the ending when they open the barn doors (if you haven’t seen it, I won’t give the ending away), just hits my water works button, no matter how many times I’ve seen the movie.
Well, at some point during the film, Lubya, who had been snoozing on the arm of the couch for most of the night, moved directly behind me on the back of the couch—a spot I’ve never seen him occupy before. I don’t know when he moved there, but I noticed him there around the time the men were singing about the “old man.” Then at some point, I swear, he slid one of his paws onto my shoulder. Instinctively, he reached out to me.
I knew he was a compassionate cat because of the way he reacts when Mimi is distressed. But I didn’t realize the extent of his empathy and sensitivity until last night!
What a lovely Christmas present: a little cat comfort—and joy.
—Anne Simpkinson
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