Grateful Kittens

Do you know anyone like this? Those pet owners or parents of infants who send you thank-you cards and holiday greetings signed to you by their pets or their infant children? So you get these notes signed, "Thanks so much for the house warming gift. Love, Diana, Pete, Tim, Sue, and Snuggles." Of course the entire thing is in one person's handwriting anyway, so not only do I know Snuggles had no hand in the matter, or paw I guess, I bet Pete has no clue this card went out either. And since during the party Tim spat up on my shoulder ruining my nicest Banana Republic stetch tee, somehow I think he would have mentioned that in the card, 'Hey, sorry about the tee. When I get a little older, two or three, I'll hit you back with some of my birthday money from Snuggles.'

Look, it's not like I'm skeptical, but I have to tell you what I think. I think Diana wrote the thank-you card on her own. I don't think Pete or Sue or Snuggles had anything to do with it. I don't think that the next day at the dinner table, they all agreed, wow it was really nice of Bob to bring that bottle of wine to celebrate our new home. Let's send him a thank-you card. Snuggles leaps up onto the table, next to the salad bowl, to chime in, 'Oh yes, let's. It was a lovely, refined pinot. It definitely deserves a note.'

You know what I want to know? What do these people do for funerals? I think if you're going to do this type of thing. If I'm going to get a note signed by your one-month old thanking me for the terry-cloth blanket and bib set, I think if you're that type of person, you should do it for all occasions. Birthdays, house-warmings, funerals. If Diana's uncle passed away, and I sent a flower arrangement to the funeral home, I'd expect a card, "Hey, thanks for sending those nice carnations to my funeral. All the family was heartened by their beauty and your thoughtfulness. Love, Uncle Ned." In Diana's handwriting, of course.