Pets

to me.

When she was just a kitten, she was playing with a ball that is attached to an elastic cord. Usually, I swing and bounce the ball around for her to swing at and "catch." But that day I was at the kitchen table, in a hurry to finish a shopping list and get to the store before it closed, so I ignored her. She did meow a couple times to get my attention, but I rushed out the door.

When I got home, the ball was in the middle of the kitchen table, sitting on the note pad that I'd been using. The message was very clear.