A year on and Chester still roams our Ponsonby Streets. Here are a few of last year’s adventures. He still likes to wander: the lure of Ponsonby Road is strong, especially on a Friday night. Was mouse pizza on Prego’s menu?
Someone from Ponsonby Fire Station texted to say ‘cat was the talk of the town’ as people took photos of him by the engines. But he goes further afield too - I missed Hancock’s Wines and Spirits 2.00am call, but after sleeping it off, he returned the next day. My neighbours’ visitors recently found him in their car – thwarted in his desire to accompany them to Snow Planet.
In July Chester disappeared. Four days later, Stuart Street people phoned to say that he’d got locked in their house while they were away. Mmm – bit thinner. Thanks Tric for cat-chauffeur-plus service to the Ponsonby Veterinary Centre Cattery. In October he was left in the care of a lovely house-sitter. His collar was found: he was missing for a week. He turned up one morning, impervious to our worry, in good health.
Out on the lam to Peel Street; next day, after a long, exhausted sleep then much nuzzling, he was on his way again, where he returned to White Cross, Ponsonby Road. A Sackfield Street caller left a message which I found too late to reply, but next morning, the cat was on my bed, snoring genteelly. I was pleased to see him, as earlier in the week, he had been on a 25 hour outing, ending up in Gunson Street. Yet another Gunson Street woman phoned, bemused that I didn’t know which house to collect him from, “As you’ve been here before.” Arthur Street also appears a popular holiday destination. He had a weekend getaway at a serviced Grafton apartment (pickup included): yes, that’s our Chester!
He likes the warmth – I’ve dragged him away from the open fire of a Norfolk Road house, the heater in Ponsonby Pharmacy, the road asphalt… He likes the garden sun, but if it’s too hot, he’ll shelter under rengarenga lilies. He’s even building a truce with the neighbour’s Ragdoll cats.
He’s very affectionate, but perhaps a bit promiscuous? I find there is yet another neighbour in our street who allows him to sleep on his bed and sit on the window sill and preen himself. Chester enjoys physical contact. A caring woman carried him from Lincoln Street to the top of Vermont Street, for collection. A neighbour told me he’d seen a couple carrying him down Vermont Street, late one night, and dropping him off outside this house. He is training the neighbourhood!
We discovered that Lucille, my son-in-law’s 93 year old, Seattle, grandmother, thought when I talked about picking up Chester from the Central Police Station at midnight and from Sky City Casino bus stop (I ignored advice and didn’t stop his allowance), that Chester was my male friend. After her mother’s death, her daughter was sad she couldn’t share that Chester was recently spotted asleep (passed out?) on the counter of Richmond Road Liquor, his nearest bottle store.
Since Chester hurt his knee, he has become more apprehensive of sudden sounds, but more importantly, whilst still roaming, he has been returning of his own accord, after shorter outings. I’m happy for him to have adventures, but I fear for him jousting with main road traffic, and life is easier without that worry. If he does travel afar, our phone number is on his collar tag.
