Couch

Pillow

It was the week before moving day; I heard Sydney say it was February 3. It felt like I was one of the only pieces of furniture left in the house (or the living room, at least), I heard a lot of other things be taken past me, and put into this "moving van" constantly waiting outside.

I felt Pillow lying on me, purring comfortably. At least she didn't want me out of their new house. I've loved her ever since I met her, but I was starting the like her the most out of the family. I kept hoping to myself that she would affect the family's decision. But she's a cat. She can't say anything to the people of the house.

I waited for something to happen.

Claus then plopped down on me. He sighed. "What am I gonna do?"

What? Is he talking to Pillow? No, probably just to himself. Cats can't talk. If they could, Pillow would have saved me by now.

"This couch has been driving her crazy lately. 'We have to get rid of it,' she says. 'It's so dirty...' What's the huge deal if we do take it?"

I tried to stop listening to his complaints. I knew he was about to leave me in the house; he didn't have to rub salt in the wool by complaining. But a few minutes later I heard him say something else. He called up to Sophie. Was he actually considering taking me with them?

I waited for something to happen again. I heard Sophie's voice: "But what's the big deal if we don't take it?"

"What's the big deal if we do?" said Claus. "We won't have to buy another couch."

"This couch is covered in cat hair and chip crumbs and probably bugs. It's worth it to buy a new one." I've barely had any bugs in my cushions for the entirety of my stay here.

"I already have a big enough issue with money!"

"Do you really want the cat to have fleas again?"

I listened to their argument. I kept noticing things. I was worth $700 when they got me, not $350. I don't recall anyone calling uncomfortable, I think. Wow, Sophie is really against me.

"Mrow!" Pillow's meow was barely audible.

Sophie calmed down a bit. "All I'm saying is that it's dirty."

"Have we ever cleaned it?"

"I try to every time your friends leave a field of garbage on it." After every time she cleaned me, I was clean up until a month later, when she cleans me again. And it's not even that much.

They argued for a short time after, and then the kids got in on it. Rustle said that it doesn't even matter. Sydney wondered why their entire moving day was riding on me. Then they stopped. Another meow was a bit more audible than the last one, now that they were quieter. "Mom, Pillow looks pretty comfortable," noticed Sydney.  "I guess she's on our side. She's loved this couch ever since we bought her."

Claus made his final point. "See? You see that? Let's just take the couch, Sophia. It's four against one. No more money wasted, and still the same familiar couch. Even the cat likes it. The discussion is over. Please. We can wash it. We can do anything to help this couch. And why does our entire moving day tomorrow have to wait on on piece of furniture?"

He sounded even more desperate to end this argument than I would've been.

"Fine. We're taking the couch. But you better promise to check if it's clean. Weekly."

"I'll lift this end, Sydney and Rustle, get the other."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She actually changed her mind. And it was only her that had to change her mind. Everyone else was always with me. And Why did she change her mind? What triggered her into that? Pillow. She's a cat, and still can't talk, but managed to affect the family's decision. I wonder how she did that. It would have blown my mind if I had a mind. That just made me love her that much more. She was the stick that broke the camel's back. (There wasn't actually a stick, but it's a thing that the family has said before, and I'm kinda catching on to this "idiom" thing. Might be another game.)

A few days ago, I was lifted off of the ground for the longest time since I was adopted. I was put into the moving van, and soon enough, I felt a new rug surface to stand on. It felt so good on my feet. I'm glad to be with such a good family.

Oh, and I got my first weekly cleaning today. I'll probably miss all the cat hair they pick up with this new rolling thing.