Right here, right now, as I sit down to write,

my cat plants her

purring self

on my

lap

and

begins

to nudge my

writing hand as

if to say, “You can write another day.

I’m old and I

need you right

here, right

now.”

She

is soon

joined by a

lonely dog, and

right here, right now, I set my pen aside.

                                                                                                            JDG