The Tenor

by carolynholm

Dear Puffin,
I’ve never known a cat who communicated with such a wide range of vocalizations. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat is gratified to participate in the conversations.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
You do indeed. I love your quiet little chirps. And your cheerful “hello” meow when you enter the room. You always have something to add to the conversation. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Bien sûr, Madame and Monsieur are also very pleasant conversationalists.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
But you do get very loud when we are playing our evening game. That’s a lot of wild yelling.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
As it should be. The games they are exciting. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I just have one question for you. I have to ask, what on earth is going on when you walk down the hall making your enormous yowling sound?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
There is no yowling in the hall. Madame must be misinformed.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
There is indeed some yowling. You have quite a set of lungs on you, sweetie. Are you in pain? Is your arthritis much worse?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The arthritis is annoying, but quite manageable. Madame is kind to ask.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
I googled the yowling, and it said it could be dementia. But I really don’t think you have dementia. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
That goes quite without saying.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Existential angst? 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Is this sarcasm? Madame can never resist the sarcasm.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
True. Well, I’ve decided that when you yowl, you are just looking for me, so I always call out so you know where I am, and sure enough, you always show up.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Madame is kind to call.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
The sound you make is quite dramatic. You remind me of a client I had many years ago when I had a graphic design firm. Stephen was an opera singer, a tenor with a gorgeous voice who had a day job that brought him to me to design brochures. He would walk into our office, fling his arms out, and launch himself into Questo Mar Rosso from La Bohème. At full stage volume. A powerful trained voice like that in a normal room is enough to blow you right out of your shoes.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Is there a point that Madame wishes to make?
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Your voice is like that when you yowl. Powerful. The neighbors probably hear it and wonder. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Madame is saying this petit cat is a Tenor?
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
That might be the best explanation. That, or Existential Angst.
Love, Carolyn

A note to our readers…

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