Marko Ramius & Me

Here lately, every time I bend down to pet Marko, he lifts his paws in the air like a toddler wanting to be picked up, which I then do - and he promptly places his paws over my shoulder and sits contentedly there, sometimes for a very long time. Once day I was having Scotch and a cigar in the garage while grilling and he remained perched up there for half an hour, during all my activities. That's a long damn time, especially given all the movement and smoke.

I often ask the kids, "What's he doing up there?" And they always reply, "Just looking around." A couple of days ago I found myself within a confluence of events in which I would be able to see with my own eyes just what the hell was so fascinating about hanging off my shoulder - I was in the master bath at the end of the day, Marko wanted to be held, and my camera was within reaching distance.

And while I would love to photograph my cat more often, every time he sits still long enough for a photograph, instead of doing this beautiful pose (one of a series of my all-time favorite cat pictures, ever) all I ever get is this: