My Year as a Customer Relations Specialist (Familiar) by Binx

And it’s been a heck of a year at that! I was a free feline in Hartford, roaming the town as I wanted, when I wanted. I had some transitory familial transactions with a few humans. But I never stayed long. In one if these households I was known by the name “Lucky.”  Imagine my shock and the shock of the Artes staff when one of my kids came in and shouted, “ That’s Lucky!! Where did you find him?” And they proceeded to tell my employers of the sordid past I’d led.
I greeted these customers that were on the verge of exposing me further and possibly taking me back, with the utmost kindness and some head bumping and then quickly retreated to the back rooms to hide. I had my job to consider not to mention my new reputation as a Refined Cat. “And the name’s Binx, just Binx! NOT LUCKY,” I thought to myself as I hid in the storage area.

I was happy to find a place that would let me be me. They were very kind to me but somewhat restrictive in letting me out at first. You see I had many, ahem, friends that wanted me to visit. There is a barn to the east of the store. A farmer and his horse live there but also there are some lovely felines that hang there. The folks at Artes call it a bordello.  Well, after about a week of cavorting around, the store manager stuck me in a box and took me to a place where they looked me over and poked me with needle stingy things. 
I was taken back to the store where I still had my freedom to visit the neighbor ladies for a while. Then again into the box and off to the same scary place. When I woke up, I was at a strange home. And the store manager was there. And I was a bit sore, too. 

When I returned to my job at the store, I was treated extra nicely getting treats and a cushy pillow bed to sleep in.  Some mice lookalikes to toss around were handed to me. And one of the workers kept feeding me this wonderful thing in pieces that she called chicken. Her name, I heard was, Ashley.

I no longer “needed” to visit the lovely felines but I liked to go over there none the less. I had no real desires but I still indulged in my freedom when I could. And then a horrible thing happened. I was out near the barn and I felt a sharp pain in my tail! And another. And yet another. I retreated to the store. Aoife, I now had gotten more familiar with her, looked at my tail and made me rest. I was brave. But it hurt and some mean hisses came from my throat. I did not mean it. I wasn’t complaining, really. And away I went back into that green box to the place of jabbing. Again I slept. And again I woke up. My tail was wrapped up. It looked like a mummy stub. I could not clean it…but the pain was no longer there. I later heard them talking about how I had been shot! That was the noise I had heard. They called it a shotgun.  They took 3, Aoife said, out of my tail. And now my tail was shorter. Pat and Aoife threatened to contact the authorities but decided to take matters into their own hands. I fear for the culprits for I knew what my staff was capable of. I saw them using one of the pellets and doing something a bit strange with it. And I also was put on medical leave from my job according to Paul. I was away from my job for a bit.

During this time, I was left at Aoife’s home residence in the company of 2 other cats while I recovered. Sammy and Delilah are now part of my family. Sammy is cool but Delilah not so much. But with a name like that how can she be a trusted feline! 

This incident had saddened me. For awhile I did not go out at all after I returned to work. Since then I have made some healthier decisions, too. I will no longer stray into that area where I was hurt anymore. Visiting the girls, even as just a friend, is not worth my life. Now I reside mostly at the store. But I have days that I am on vacation. When at the store, I love greeting my customers. I love giving head bumps. I lead them around in hopes of encouraging some sales.
But I also love being on breaks at home with the two cats and the newest addition, Remy. Andrew lives there too, I might add. Remy dog and I go to work together mostly every day. He goes to our home every night after closing. But I have an additional responsibility.  I am now a night watch-cat! I look out for mice and any weirdness. I stay at Artes and Craft and do double duty most nights. 

I like my solitude. I like my days with customers and other pets that visit the store. And they allow me time outside just to breathe every day. And they finally stopped making me wear those collars with ringing things. They also let me attend rituals. They tried to shut me out from the last one. But they soon discovered I could jump over walls to get in. And I have since become a devotee of Santa Muerte, so much did I enjoy this ritual and discussion. I still take my crystal offerings to the Virgin of Guadalupe. When the Artes staff put them back into the crystal trays, I just go sniff out the exact same one and put it back at her feet. I really wish they would honor my offerings. Really. 
All in all, I consider myself very lucky. I have free room and board and my meals and toilet needs are taken care of. I have full medical. I have vacation breaks at the home residence. I have the run of the store on work days and making friends with customers is very fulfilling. And I look forward to you visiting me.  
But the name’s Binx, just Binx.