Addison had a birthday party yesterday, so I walked to the mall to get a present. When I left, this cat was hanging out under the 4×4 in the corner spot. She’s the mall cat. We see her almost every time we go. She’s either lounging under a palm tree or snuggled under the warmth of an engine in the parking lot. When I took out the camera to snap a few photos, she stepped out and began doing that cat thing of rubbing up against me, purring, and then peaking in my bag.

There are so many stray animals, I am sometimes afraid to pet them or even talk to them for fear they will follow me home. Been there. Done that. I’ve rescued more animals than Noah. However this cat was well fed. She has some place to go when it rains and at night.

Later that afternoon, while my son and daughter jumped around on inflatable bouncy things at the birthday party, I took in the sites: Cinderella hanging from the ceiling and the princesses, with their heads tipped a bit to the side. I sipped on a super-sugary cafe mocha and smiled at how much that little tilt of the head reminded me of the mall cat. Then I had to smile. I’d forgotten the present I bought was a sticker book of cats. Four princesses, cats, mall….there’s got to be a message in all this, right?