I don’t usually get too personal or political on my blog—this is both.
You see, my cat Dexter—lovingly referred to here as The Fur Bastard—just threw tea in my face.
I am not using metaphor here. No like/as simile situation.
The Fur Bastard just dipped his paw in my Chamomile, and gave me (and my laptop) a face wash. Then he did it again, just to prove he could. I sat by, too flabbergasted to move. Now I’m waiting for him to shout “SIEVE SIEVE SIEVE” while sporting a little hockey-mullet and lambasting me with his paw from the bleachers.
The Fur Bastard seems to have a message.
I *might* have clued in when he began drinking my tea only recently—in the past weeks or months.
I just thought “Gross,”
and “how rude,”
and “mint tea tastes better with sugar than honey doesn’t it, Kitty?”
Meanwhile, pre-election hysteria reached its apex. Negative ads made me laugh out loud, as I assumed them satire and waited for the Jon Stewart Rally to Restore Sanity tagline. Instead the monster-truck radio announcer ended with “It’s time for you to go, Russ Feingold.” The radio ad didn’t even mention his opponent’s name.
Laughable, and tea-in-your-face sobering. Again, I sat by, too flabbergasted to move.
I should’ve known. Last week The Fur Bastard dipped his tail in my tea and kept “accidentally” brushing me with it, as he paced across my keyboard.
Thinking back on it now, The Fur Bastard has assaulted me with tea for weeks.
He had a message. A warning—despite Russ’ endorsements from even the state’s most conservative newspapers, and despite the narrowing margins.
Now the message rings loud and clear
“Tea used to be a relaxing beverage to be sipped and contemplated, laptop-side. Now it is TEA IN YOUR FACE, woman!”
It doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t make sense. And there’s really no substance, just some tepid water, now sullied with cat dander.
I’m not drinking it. Not after what The Fur Bastard did to my cup of tranquility.
I am going to go pour out this tea, and reflect on the amazing legacy that our beloved Senator leaves the State of Wisconsin. And, please, no one blame dear Fur Bastard. He was only trying to warn me.
Russ Feingold, known to me as “Uncle Russ” (and even “Joe Cool” when we were kids) served as a voice of honesty, intelligence, integrity, passion, and tireless advocacy. A profile in courage for our country, and for the state of Wisconsin, his leadership will be dearly missed.
I’m still sitting here flabbergasted, but…
In the words of Bob Dylan: “But my heart is not weary. It’s light and free. I’ve got nothing but affection for those who have sailed with me.”
Forward!
–from Senator Feingold’s remarks on Tuesday night. Watch them here.
I love your TEA analogy. I too was sad when Senator Feingold was not re-elected.
Makes me wonder about the people in this country, how could they be so blind. I think the answer is in the fact that some people some where want us to be dumb… it’s probably why the “elite” are now the educated when at one time the “elite” were the people with the money.
Thank God for people like you who can write and do!
Oh Ann, I’m crying. Such a loss for this state but I know he’ll be back. Better than ever!
I loved this personal, witty and very dear post. And you.
If someone tells me to do something in a monster truck voice, I always do the opposite.
GLOSSING OVER IT
the loss of feingold makes me sick to my stomach. i just don’t get it.
a very horrible mid term election. i don’t like the turnover one bit.
i can’t hear the word tea now. too soon. damn those tea party bastards.
It’s really tragic. I mean about Uncle Russ, not the fact that you call the feline blessing from Heaven “Fur Bastard”.
So sorry about Uncle Russ. And that the Fur Bastard’s metaphor was so lame. But you manage to rise above, as always, my dear.
Now you know how I felt when our retarded state elected Arnold Schwarzzeneggar TWICE.
My family calls him Uncle Russ too! I miss him already. 🙁
I should’ve clarified–I call him “Uncle Russ” because he actually is my uncle in real life. Thus making this even more personal and devastating.
Oh no! Palin and Beck got to the Fur Bastard! How sinister those tea baggers are.
I love your Uncle Russ, Ann. A good and honorable man whom I have respected and listened to for many years. He is the voice of reason, and that is surely what we’ll be missing for at least the next two years, and perhaps beyond. A sad day indeed.
Wonderful post! You actually made me feel better about this loss…didn’t think that was possible!
So sorry for the loss you and so many others are feeling. We’re sending idiots to DC but kept our state and local folks. At least we got a mixture of the good and the bad.
I don’t even live in Wisconsin and I was devastated. I do not understand how so many people could drink the tea when it was clearly toxic. Such a fine, principled man. I’m in shock. Thank you for writing about this.
Everyone I encountered yesterday was horribly depressed. Russ is part of what made me proud to be from Wisconsin – in all seriousness, I mean that. I’m still reeling from Tuesday. I’m sorry for the hurt your family must be feeling on top of the disappointment and discouragement that the rest of us supporters are feeling.
I love this post, Ann. Glad you went for the personal and political in this case.
It has been looking like large numbers of Americans are saying, “We don’t want no smarty pants leadin’ us. I’m ‘on vote fer somebody JUST LIKE ME!” (translate into applicable regional dialect as you see fit). It’s scary that rational people who take time to think about things and realize that THINGS ARE COMPLICATED are villified and mocked while simplistic fools see their stars rise ever higher.
I was so disappointed when Russ Feingold didn’t get re elected.
I voted for him for so many reasons. Mostly, he is a very big friend to the large Hispanic population here. He has done a lot to clear up myths and lies and rumors about immigrants.
He wants to help people that are hard working, and honest.
I cant believe he’s not in.
I didn’t know he was really your uncle.
We have loved him in this family for many, many years.
I’m so sad because the state of WI really needed Russ in, and now, it’s not the case.
Something is really wrong when a liberal has trouble in Wisconsin. But I’m sure Joe Cool isn’t done with his life’s work.
Your uncle is one of my favorite Senators. I love his principled ways and I was terribly disappointed to see that he lost.
Your post made me laugh though. The Fur Bastard is something I can relate to. I drink out of adult sippy cups because of one too many encounters with cats dipping their body parts into my drinks.
It’s beyond sad when the people of this country start basing their votes on who is the LEAST smart of the 2 candidates. It has not been a good week. I’m so sorry your uncle lost!!
This hilariously brilliant post speaks the perfect message, sweet lady.
Forward, indeed! With a little the-tail-is-surely-going-to-dry hope.
Dang! You’re political royalty, Ann! I don’t know a thing about WI politics, but anyone you call Joe Cool is alright by me. Ditto what Wendi says, it’ll be interesting to see what his next move is.
And maybe next time, you should listen to what Fur Bastard is trying to tell you so you’re not caught off guard.
Tuesday was a very sad day for our country. It’s so sad that the extremists with no desire to acknowledge the truth have the right to vote. I’m so angry about it all, it blows my mind.
What a great post. And I’m so sorry for Wisconsin’s loss. Seriously.
I had to come back to say, we, in our community, were very disappointed Russ Feingold isn’t back in office.
We are convinced it was the scare tactics of the commercials against him: all the talk, every 5 mins of “Russ Feingold, friend to illegal immigrants.”
Tht kind of talk scared people into voting against him, and for the other guy.
It fuels all the misconception and what I argue over and over about.
What you hear on the radio is NOT the truth, people…NOT THE TRUTH.
Ann, It broke my heart that he lost…. I miss the Wisconsin of the early 90s. And it made me think of you. Which made me miss the early 90s even more.
Your cat’s a republican? how did that happen?
I swear I’m never leaving Oregon. It’s an oasis of sanity in a raging sea of ignorance.
You are grace personified, even when your bastard cat is flicking you with tea speckled political messages. I’m so sorry for the loss – the country’s and your family’s.