September slipped on by while also feeling like a whole season itself.
I went back to Memphis to visit and spend time with my grandma mid-month. It was right after a string of crime and drama in the town, I joked with my family that I was going to Memphis to “take care of” the crime situation.
I mostly stayed inside.
Forever annoying my cousins cat, “Mozzarella” or as I call her, “The cheese”.
It was a chill week.
They have a nice YMCA in an old Sears Roebuck warehouse that has been turned into a mixed-use compound. It's a beautiful building.
And from the outside:
The story of Pumpkin:
Meet Pumpkin, a sherbet colored tabby who used to live in the house where my grandma lives. He now lives a few blocks away but often makes a four block jaunt (across a busy street) to hang out in the bushes next to our house and occasionally come peek in our windows.
He has a meow of a 60yr old smoker. He took lots of pets and also seemed to boss me around a bit. Sometimes my uncle or cousin will drive him back to his house. I was worried that he was away from his house for too long so I asked my grandma if I should take him back home, “I wouldn't try, I'm sure he's fine, they always have a hard time getting him in the carrier”. I was feeling frisky and confident in the bond that I felt he and I had already made so I decided to just carry him home on foot. He only tried to bolt a few times because of traffic noise but I carried him in my arms all the way home. I felt invincible, if I can carry an outside cat for four blocks past busy traffic…I must be some sort of Mystical Cat Whisperer.
Big flex. Much brag.
He returned the next day. He's just too cute, he remained for a few more days and then I took him back by car and did a handoff to the owners.
He always comes back. He knows what he likes and what he likes are the bushes next to his old house.
On my last day in Memphis I serendipitously came across an arts festival happening. I mostly just gandered about, at one point some members of the Memphis Opera walked by singing over my shoulder.
I grabbed some Khao Soi from a Thai food truck and escaped the heat back home.
I flew back home the next day at 5am. In the airport I giggled to myself over these men having a 5am beer.
I saw a friend in the Houston airport.
Made it home with just enough time to get in my car and meet my friends for brunch.
September was busy, more to come.