So it took long enough, but I finally made a friend in Bakersfield.
It's a cat.
A neighborhood cat. It's completely black, except the entire right side of his (or her) face is pure white. He looks like he has the lead in a feline production of "Phantom of the Opera".
So I've named him "Phantom".
I first noticed him shortly after we moved into the house. I'd get up and make coffee and go out on the patio for a smoke, and there, in the predawn darkness, he'd be sprawled across one of the crossbeams of the fence. That's apparently where he spent the night, which makes a certain amount of sense; it was a ringside seat over all our fruit trees and all the rodents that raided them during the night.
Normally, I wouldn't see him again once the sun rose, but last week I was getting up from the computer and noticed something move outside the window. And there he was, splayed across the wall that abuts the house. Just hanging out, watching me and the dogs through the window. He was there the next day, and the next. Just hanging out in the sun. I liked to think he was there to keep me company, but I'm not stupid - there's a bird feeder there. If the birds here are as stupid as the flies, he stood a pretty good chance of getting a snack.
But all good things must come to an end. Yesterday the dogs finally discovered there was a window in my office, and once they looked through it they discovered the cat. They made a scene and Phantom darted off. Haven't seen him since.
I miss him. It gets pretty lonely here all day. I hope he comes back.
* "Now and Forever" was the advertising tagline for the musical "Cats", which seemed appropriate.
PS: In looking for just the right image to top the post, I discovered there is a frightening amount of really, REALLY bad "Phantom of the Opera" fan art online.
