hard times, come again no more

We've had Henry almost a year now. He and Dolly are getting along fairly well, in their cat way - which is a mystery to me.  I don't think they'll ever love each other.  He's a little better with us, but he still nips when we try to pet him most of the time. And food remains his main motivation.

We had noticed him hanging around our area for about a month before we took him in - we've no idea of his life before that.  He was not emaciated, just wary of us, but looking for food and a place to sleep. His long fur was knotted in places - of course. I'm sure he's at least partly some fancy breed, he's such a pretty boy. But he's an annoying pet much of the time; wanting to eat constantly, underfoot in a dangerous way, trying to usurp Dolly's favorite sleeping spots, trying to bite us when we want to get friendly.  My brother has a theory that he was somebody's pet (he obviously was) and they threw him out in exasperation. Who knows? Or maybe he ran away from home. He doesn't seem to know how to socialize very well - with anyone, cat or human.  But we can tell that he's trying. When he tries to nip, it's like an automatic reaction; It wouldn't surprise me to learn  he'd been maltreated.

I brought home the CD Appalachian Journey from the library - Mark O'Connor, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, James Taylor - and was playing it. Went by the living room, and both cats were obviously enjoying the music.  Dolly was too much in a dark corner to get a good photo - and you've seen her enjoying music before, haven't you?  - but Henry!

He was really liking it. And, what was the cut they were so into? Hard Times Come Again No More, by Stephen Foster, sung by James Taylor.

Let us pause in life's pleasures to count its many tears

While we all sup sorrow with the poor;

There's a song that will linger forever in our ears,

Oh! Hard times, come again no more. 

'Tis the song, the cry of the weary,

Hard times, hard times, come again no more;

Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,

Oh! Hard times, come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay

There are frail forms fainting at the door;

Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say

Oh! Hard times, come again no more.

'Tis the song, the cry of the weary,

Hard times, hard times, come again no more;

Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,

Oh! Hard times, come again no more.

'Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,

'Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore,

'Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave.

Oh! Hard times, come again no more.

'Tis the song, the cry of the weary,

Hard times, hard times, come again no more;

Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,

Oh! Hard times, come again no more.

-Stephen Foster            

Happy Thanksgiving!