Episode VI. Onyx Meets Seamus

From Tales of Onyx the Cruising Kitty

by Onyx Blackwell
Chief Editor and Cruising Kitty

It was the second season and my sealegs were in great shape. I was looking forward to learning all kinds of new things but I was not prepared for meeting Seamouse. I must say, She-ple Daria tried to explain but I just could not imagine how a DOG and I were going to share the boat, even if it was just for one day. Nope, I just didn't see it.

You see, Seamouse is a sea dog. He's traveled the open ocean and seen exotic places. I was curious to hear his story, but I didn't think I would understand dog, after all I'd never really spoken to a DOG before. The dogs next door at home on land just bark and drool every time they see me. They never tell stories or anything. Especially that big fluff ball they call Merlin. He has these weird eyes that look like crystal clear blue water. He must be a magic dog, but I just can't understand anything he barks.

Seamus with his She-ple.

"I'll have to plan how I deal with this, but first I have to take a nap," I thought. So it was with the vision of Merlin that I dreamed about meeting Seamouse.

The day finally arrived and there he was. He wasn't anything like Merlin. He was hardly bigger than me. And then came the true shock; on his travels around the world, Seamouse had learned to speak cat. In fact, he not only spoke American short hair, he could speak Persian, Abyssinian, backyard Caribbean, rasta reggae, and Maine Coon. Boy was I impressed. I had no idea dogs could learn how to speak cat!

At first, I was a little wary, given my experience with Merlin. I told Seamouse to sit at the top of the companionway and I guarded the bottom step. Every time he got excited and tried to come down, I used my kung fu defense posture and it worked like a charm. But his story had me interested. It went something like this.

"First let me introduce myself properly," he said. "My name is not Seamouse, it is Seamus. A great Irish name it is!" So, that was the accent he had. Hmmm, he spoke cat with an Irish accent, I thought.

Seamus started his story, "We left Long Island Sound on a beautiful crisp morning. The boat was loaded full of supplies as we were heading for the Caribbean. The music was blaring on the radio to get us in the mood. First stop, Bermuda. Except, there was one little thing in the way. A hurricane. We turned this way and that way, and so did the storm. Wherever we ran, the storm stood in the way. Then we finally outsmarted it and made it into Bermuda just in time to tie up really securely. When the storm hit, a huge ship broke loose in the harbor and trapped our boat against the dock. My People were worried about what would happen, and as the storm grew worse and worse, we decided to get off the boat and stay ashore. What was really fun was we became celebrities. Turns out we were the last to make it safely into harbor, and I was the only non-people. My picture was in the paper and everything."

I was starting to feel sorry for him. Or should I be happy for him? After all he is a celebrity. Maybe I should let him come down. "Okay, Seamus, why don't you join me down here. I'll show you around." So I showed him my litter box but he wasn't interested. Then I showed him my food bowl, and he went after it so fast I thought he'd been starved. But I protected my bowl with my kung fu posture again, and again it worked like a charm.

"My apologies", said Seamus. "I just can't help myself sometimes."

Then on he went with his story. "So we spent five months sailing around the Caribbean. It was wonderful. Blue water, white sand beaches, lots of non-people to meet. Glorious. I could have spent years down there. I met many cats and dogs, and chickens and pigs and goats, all kinds of God's creatures. And the bugs were most fascinating. Giant roaches and flying pilots. What fun it was! Here's a picture of me exploring the jungle in a canoe. But my people wanted adventure so we decided to sail to South America for the winter."

Seamus on a jungle adventure by canoe!

"About half way there, there was another storm. We were doing pretty well until, BANG, we heard a loud noise. He-ple was saying that we'd lost our rudder. He called a Mayday on the radio and a ship responded almost right away. He-ple told She-ple to prepare to abandon ship. I was never so scared in my life. But She-ple bundled me in a pillowcase and told me she'd take care of me and I trusted her. She was my human step-mother, you know. And I know she loves me very much."

"It seemed like a long time when the ship arrived and we prepared to go aboard. But we had to jump across and the ships were rocking. So she-ple went first and He-ple took me. But instead of carrying me, he threw me to one of the crew, who did not know I was inside. When I squirmed, he was so frightened he almost threw me back. But he didn't. Instead he let me out and took me below to get dry."

"That was one of the best days of my life. Once again, I was a celebrity. The entire crew fell in love with me. They cuddled me and fed me and rubbed my belly whenever I wanted. I thought I was in heaven. I was so spoiled I did not know how I would ever go back to normal life. But of course, all dreams like this end, and when we reached Cartagena in Columbia, things got back to normal. Sort of anyway, as we didn't have a boat."

I was exhausted by this time just listening to Seamus. My eyes were heavy and my lids were closing. I was imagining the Caribbean and what it's like to sail around and see lots of white sand beaches everywhere when I must have fallen asleep.

I woke up cuddled up against Seamus' warm belly. He stirred and thanked me for an enjoyable return to the sea. "You see, this is my first voyage after that fateful night in the storm. I was rather concerned and that's why I was talking so fast. You, Onyx, made me comfortable while I found my sealegs again, and I thank you for that."

"My pleasure," I told him. "Please come back and tell me more stories. You see I'm going to be a cruising kitty and I'd like to learn how to speak dog. "

"It would be most enjoyable to teach you, miss Onyx, and thank you for your kindness", said Seamus.

So that's the last I saw of Seamus as they sailed off on another adventure. I know he'll be back and our paths will cross again. I feel I now have a cruising buddy, and he is my friend, Seamus.

Onyx Blackwell, the black sea cat, The Cruising Kitty, was going to see the world! But first, she had to take a nap.