Nina and Simone

This synchronicity about two cats is from Adele Aldridge, an artist and expert on the I Ching.

I have been without a cat for two years — the longest time since I was five years old. On Saturday my daughter and I drove to a cat rescue place to check it out. I was eager, reluctant and scared all at once. We both agreed that we were just seeing what was there with no fixed plan. But Vicki made me take a cat carrier just in case. No wonder I got nervous. I was feeling the responsibility of all that. As I told a vet once when I was adopting my two favorite cats ever, Magic and Mystery, that you can divorce a man but a cat is forever.

When we got there, seeing all these kitties in cases and children milling around and the cats looking all so wonderful to me, just being with cats was as if I had been terribly deprived of some essential nutrient.

After a lot of discussions and looking and I Ching throwing I ended up taking two cats. One is a 3 month old black and white one with mini tuxedo markings. She looks like my last cat, Simon who was a tuxedo. The other cat is 3, all white except half the tail is black looking like it was dipped in jet black ink. She also has a black spot on her back and head. Strange but beautiful. I was told that the little one was extremely shy.

Nancy, the woman in charge, hesitated to let me have it. This was strange talk for a person who wants to find homes for these cats. But she is a true cat lover and knew this cat was dealing with “issues” and wanted to make sure I could handle her problems without returning her. Finally she said that if it didn’t work out I could bring the cat back.

I named the white cat Nina after Anaïs Nin who is one of my favorite people ever for umpteen reasons.  Nin,A – get it? I named the little black one, Simone. Nina Simone. I was naming them as well after the great jazz singer Nina Simone. Also Simone looks  like Simon, the cat I last had. And the name!

When I got them home Simone immediately disappeared. Two days have gone by and no sight of her. This is a small apartment and hard to get lost in. I guess tiny black cats can fit any where. I wondered if I would have to return her.
Meanwhile Nina very quickly made herself at home and has become insatiable about being petted. She found a spot on my bed where she posts herself as if she knew it was just for her. She politely keeps to her side of the bed. No shyness. I even saw her looking at herself in a mirror. I guess she needed just a few hours to adjust to all her trauma. She has been living in a cage for a long time. Still no sight of Simone with the exact opposite kind of behavior. Was she starving to death? If she didn’t know she was in cat paradise that is not my fault. I decided that I’ll just wait no matter how long it takes. I told the angel women at the cat rescue place, not to worry, that I would take the cat and let her work out her stress issues herself.

At the end of the second day with no sign of Simone, sitting with a glass of wine, I decided to see if I could find a Nina Simone album among a stash of hundreds of old music CD’s that need to be sorted out. Luckily, amazingly, I find one right away and put it on. After a few songs I said to myself, talking to Nina Simone, as she sang, “Please help me with this little Simone.” Then I sent a text message to Vicki that just said, “I’m playing Nina Simone’s songs and asking her for help.”

The instant I pushed the send button to Vicki, a black fur ball flew out from under something, shot across the room, reached the entry way, turned, looked me in the eyes for a few moments and ran into the bedroom. I was astounded! This sounds corny as hell but a jolt of energy went through my heart chakra. I KNEW everything was just fine and the fact that this cat showed up at that precise moment when I sent that text as I was pleading with Nina Simone, listening to her sing was such an emotional event for me I again texted my daughter and told her, “I’m having a religious experience.” She texted back and said, “Keep on smoking.” LOL.

I figured that Nina was responding to the voice of her name sake, Nina Simone, even if she didn’t know that she was also named after Anaïs Nin. So I played the album again and then again. But this is the final clincher of this strange syncho. Before sending off this email to you, I wanted to know what Nina’s Simone’s birthday was. Another jolt. Nina Simone was born on February 21, 1933, Anaïs Nin’s birthday. Is this crazy or what? It is also my father’s birthday.

I am happy that I have a cat again to help take care of me. That’s what they do.