A Piano Playing Cat . . . Ginger Ale . . . Orange Sherbet

14 April 2017

My Grandmother Hahn's brother, Uncle Winthrop, was one of my two most favorite people in the whole world! He was missing two fingers (table saw bit him) . . . he always smelled like tobacco (smoked heavily) . . . was married to a woman who terrified me (she was an old "school marm") . . . lived in an incredibly cool house (old Savannah money) . . . one with this awesome curved staircase (it was beautiful) . . . had the stubbliest gray mustache I ever saw (I secretly loved how it tickled when he kissed my cheek) . . . was a master woodworker (all of those siblings were very, very talented) . . .

. . . and he had the coolest cat . . .

. . . a Maine Coon named Thomas!

I wish I could find a picture of that cat . . . he was huge.

I loved going to Uncle Winthrop's house because we . . . my sister and I . . . were always treated like royalty! First, always first, we'd run up that staircase so we could slide down the curved banister; Uncle Winthrop would smile and quietly point while he sent Aunt Annie into the kitchen . . . she didn't like it when we did that! There would always be a bowl of orange sherbet waiting for us, and sometimes it would be accompanied by a glass of ginger ale.

Ginger Ale has always been a favorite drink of mine.

Sometimes, after the sherbet was finished, we'd head out to his shop to see what he was in the middle of creating. He made wooden rocking horses, baby carriages, wood silhouettes . . . you name it, he could make it! He could make almost anything!! Always included in our tour was a story about how he lost his fingers . . . it's been so long I don't recall the actual details, but I do know it was the table saw that took them!

But the biggest treat before we'd leave the house was always saved for last . . . Thomas would play the piano for us!! Yep . . . Thomas the CAT!!! Uncle Winthrop would pull out a child-sized upright piano, and Tomas would sit up on his haunches, place his front paws on the keys, and plink out a tune. Granted, the tune was unrecognizable, but he played the piano! After finishing, he'd wander over and get his congratulatory pats.

This isn't the same piano, but it's similar to the one Uncle Winthrop had

I later owned a Rag Doll cat . . . hoping she'd be like Thomas. Maggie was nothing like Thomas. She was about half his size and had no interest in performing. She was, however, beautiful . . . and sweet. I miss that cat.