Brian's Cigarette Trick

Jim loved his cat Brian with a royal passion. He had this silly trick where he could call Brian over to deliver a cigarette to Jim's mouth. All Jim did was tap his pack of smokes and Brian would jump across the room to deliver his Special Person his guilty pleasure.

I had promised Jim that we would post his video of Brian's cat trick on YouTube. That never happened, one of those things that we were going to do. Even if it involved cigarettes (insert the blech that only a rabid ex-smoker can know) it was symbolic of Jim's connection to his cat and his playful, often hilarious, personality. To this day, I wish the video, with Jim's narration, was on YouTube.

Yes, it is a small, inconsequential regret, but it reminded me of what never happened and more significantly what will never be. Silly memories, ones that make me laugh, are the gasoline that keeps me going. I've just shared one with you today.

Update: I'm happy to report that Sir Brian Pawingston Catingsworth of St. Christopher (remember, Jim considered his cat regal), simply known as Brian, has made the adjustment from his bachelor pad to my brother Hartley's home that comes stocked with four kids under ten and a young dog. His antics now, animated as ever, are probably more politically correct than the cigarette trick that made Brian a legend with many.