My Adventure in Ohio with Mr. Hendrix and Bendrix

Mike here:

We'll in-between my visit to Texas and waiting to go to Ohio to see Mr. Hendrix and his alter-ego, Bendrix, I stopped off on May 1st for Gretchen's Birthday party in her magical secret garden. It was a gas. Everyone wore fancy hats and ate fancy foods. Anyway, as soon as that was over I popped home, grabbed my bag and hung out in my transporter room and waited for the signal from Ohio.

When Mr. Hendrix sent the signal, he told me to wear my shades to protect my eyes. He teleports around, too, and he's used to the weird colors and sounds. All this time I've been teleporting with my eyes shut tight and now I've just discovered a bunch of neat stuff I've been missing when I teleport. With the shades on, I opened my eyes and, Wow! What a neat trip I had. I'd never seen anything so fantastic—all the beautiful colors of the rainbow. I don't know what he did with the signal, but I didn't go zipping like lightning through cyberspace this time. It was like slow-motion, softly floating through swirls of strange lights and sounds. I loved it.

I always take a lot of things along with me in my bag that I think I might need at my host's house. I make sure to pack a few bags of Temptations and sometimes I bring a few of my toys. Well, Gretchen's toys, really. I guess I've never thought about having toys of my own. We just sort of share at home.



Well, Mr. Hendrix had lots of toys and when I got there, Bendrix wanted to play with the wand toy they just got, and so their Dad bean played the wand game over and over and over with us until we were exhausted. It was great, and Dad beans are always fun.

I love being in other people's homes, too; all the different things they do, the new smells and tastes. Different habits and activities. That's why I started traveling around, to meet new kitties and their beans, to have wonderful new experiences. One thing that is most familiar, however, is that most of the places I've been to have a garden, and feed the birds and squirrels. After we wore ourselves out playing with the wand thingy, Hendrix and I hung out at the window and he showed me he his sixteen birdfeeders, and two hummingbird feeders. His Mom bean puts peanuts out on the deck for the squirrels and they are so cute to watch as they march up single file and grab the peanuts.

Now, Bendrix, being Hendrix's alter ego, is an altogether different sort of fellow. He loves mischief. He was so ready for three a.m. to come that he could hardly contain himself. He knew I kinda get into some mischief, too. So it was like a disaster waiting to happen. I don't have any idea where Hendrix went off to. I think he was afraid that Bendrix and I would break something and he'd get blamed. He stayed hidden until morning. Mostly Bendrix and I just played Thundering Herd of Elephants and spazzed out on some nip. We're panther brothers, two of a kind, only he has real cat hair and a beating heart, while I have fake, melted fur, stuffed with fluff.

On Sunday Morning, Hendrix heard about a Flying Pig Marathon so we had to go. It benefits various charities in the area, plus there was supposed to be tons of ham and chicken wings at the end of the run, so Hendrix and I headed out to join them. Hendrix said that normally he leaves the running thing to his woofie friends, but we actually joined the runners for a bit. I was winded, I haven't had that much exercise, ever, but the only thing that kept us going until the finish line was the food at the end. As you know, kitties can run really fast and the funny thing is that Hendrix and I tied for first place. I don't know if it made the guy behind us very happy, but we were being a bit mischievous and didn't care. (If you ask me, I think Mr. Hendrix is just as mischievous as his alter ego.)



When we finished the Marathon, we went over to the Newport Aquarium for lunch. He played a joke on me. Hendrix said the glass around the fish was just a little too thick. He had me convinced that we were going to eat again. But I did enjoy watching the fish swimming around. I'd never seen such big fish in all my life. I think the big ugly thing was called a shark. He looked kind of vicious, so I'm glad the glass was really thick.

We got back to the house in time to get ready to go with the beans to a place called the Hafbrau House. Like I said before, Hendrix and I, both being black, were like two prowling panthers out on the town. While the beans ate and danced, Bendrix and I kind of got into a little bit of trouble. They had this huge pole with rungs, like a ladder, kind of, and each rung had some kind of ornamental design on it. There were flags and a green wreath at the very top, but anyway, Bendrix wanted to play on the pole and we almost got arrested. Bendrix hollered to the Bean police below, "No way we're comin down, coppers! We're just cats, we like heights. You come up here!" But all went well, they were nice enough beans and lured us down with catnip, and then let us continue to party.



Hendrix and I did the polka. What a workout that was. The music was fun, the food was delicious, and when we got home Hendrix and I slept for nearly ten hours straight.

On Tuesday Hendrix's beans took us to the Butterfly Show at the Krohn Conservatory where there were hundreds and hundreds of beautiful butterflies sucking up the nectar from hundreds of beautiful flowering plants planted just for them. Bendrix got really excited with all the fluttering little critters. I was a little worried he'd whap one of them and hurt the poor thing. But he behaved himself.



When beans first go in the door of the butterfly house, the beans in charge of the place put something called pheromones on the visitor's hands. This causes the butterflies to land on their hands so they can walk around with them. We didn't get any pheromones stuff on us. Being panthers, I think the beans were a little worried having us there in the first place. But it was a cool place and I kind of liked seeing all those beautiful winged creatures. So many colors, too.

Because I was visiting, Hendrix's mom bean brought two of Hendrix's potted catnip plants in for us to enjoy. There were two big pots of the stuff, so there was plenty for both of us. Hendrix wasted no time in nibbling the leaves either. We kind of went overboard on the fresh nip, however, and everything became all fuzzy and the room wouldn't stay still. I think I heard Hendrix singing the lyrics to a psychedelic song called Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix…I think it was his signature song or something.

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things just don't seem the same
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.

Anyway, that was some good nip and we had a quiet night.

On Friday, Hendrix's mom bean went back to work and we had the house all to ourselves. We played Thundering Herd of Elephants again. It's much more fun at three in the morning, but we did it anyway. Then we played on the scratching post. Well, mostly I just watched Hendrix play on his scratching post. I sort of don't have any claws. I keep forgetting I'm stuffed with fluff and have thread for claws. We also climbed up on places we were not allowed to be on when the mom bean is home.

Then we hung out by the window and kept a close eye on Homer the Groundhog. That Homer was a pretty big fellow and had some pretty nasty looking teeth. He was all over the yard.

It was also the famous CCSI III production weekend and Bendrix was in the cast. It was fun to watch--The Missing Mummy Caper. I recognized some of my friends in the cast, besides Bendrix. It was a production for Mother's Day. The cameracat left the cameras rolling when they weren't shooting a scene and he got some great behind the scenes shots. But I had to leave and didn't get to see them.



I was so worn out by the time I got home, I just slept straight through Mother's Day. I had a wonderful time with both Hendrix and his evil alter ego—Bendrix—and their beans. It was fun, fun, fun, with my Panther Bros.

My interview with Hendrix and Bendrix

Mike: Are you an only cat or do you have siblings or companions? Who is your favorite?

Hendrix: I’m an only kitty. Dealing with an evil alter ego is a full time job. Between my feral past and FIV the VET does not think I’d be a good kitty sibling. Bendrix keeps things interesting.

Bendrix: Yeah, I share a body with Hendrix. He’s pretty cool though and I do what a want most of the time. He has that innocent “I love you” look so we don’t get in much trouble. If he snuggles, man, those beans would give us a can of stinky for putting a hole in the sofa. Well, not really, but hey, I’m gone by the time the water bottle comes out so no biggie.

Mike: How long have you lived with your bean(s)? Who is your favorite?

Hendrix: Since Nov. 4, 2004. The VET guessed me at 2 years old when they rescued me. As for a favorite, it depends on what is going on. In the basement, Daddy, totally. Mancat stuff, he is a good player too. Mommy is good for some playing too, but she is the best snuggler and chin scratcher ever. She also feeds me and keeps me in treats.

Bendrix: They discovered me in 2006. I was here from the beginning though. The Man is good for playing craps and pushing the pool balls around. He is a kick butt hand wrestler too. He doesn’t put up with any crap in the night though. That is a bummer. That is when the Woman is the best. Walk across the bladder 10 times a night and she just gets up to pee, she’d never shut us out.

Mike: What's your favorite food? Treat?

Hendrix: Do I have to have just one? Hmmmm. My favorite food would have to be my Hills WD stinky food. My new favorite treat is my dental chews from the VET. Nom nom nomilicious.

Bendrix: I still remember those squirrels. High in cholesterol? Sure. But oh so good. We’re inside now so I don’t get those any more. I guess the WD is the closest.

Mike: Where do you like to sleep at night? In the day?

Hendrix: Right up against mommy at night. Either on one of my window boxes overlooking the feeders, or on MY corner of the couch.

Bendrix: Same, Hendrix is a great napper. I’ll give him that.

Mike: What do you dream about? Do you have a secret wish?

Hendrix: I wish I could go outside on a harness, but cause of my FIV the VET says it isn’t safe for me. I dream about rolling around in mommy’s flower beds and smelling under the bird feeders.

Bendrix: I’m livin' the dream. I do what I want, I get tons of good foods, fun toys and the beans always tell us how smart and handsome we are. What else could I want…except more toys, more food, playtime when I want even if it is 4:00 a.m…

Mike: Do you have a sweetheart or crush on someone?

Hendrix: I adore my sweet lady cat Brandi. She is so pretty and sweet.

Bendrix: Yeah, I’m with him. She is a hot lady cat. Nice too.

Mike: Do have a special fluffhead friend or one you get along with best? Do they talk to you?

Hendrix: I have a special toy. It is my blue fuzzy toy with a bell and it is my most favorite. Mommy buys the store out of them so when I break them (and eventually I do) I’ll have another right away. I even drag it into the bedroom at night while my beans are sleeping.

Bendrix: Anything I’m not supposed to play with.

Mike: Please tell me about the place where you live. Your house, your town, your state or country.

Hendrix: I live in a nice house with 4 bedrooms (one is a craft/computer room). Mommy and daddy built it cause mommy has a bad back so we have lots of stuff on the first floor so mommy doesn’t have to go up and downstairs. They moved in June 2003 right before they got married. We are 45 minutes north of Cincinnati Ohio. We have lotsa farms and parks around us. I have woods behind our house so I can watch all the wildlife come up from the woods to eat on our birdfeeders.

Mike: Are you an inside or outside cat?

Hendrix: Inside only! I had enough of that outside as a feral kitty.

Bendrix: I’m with Hendrix, indoor only where I get all the food, treats, toys and pets I want.

Mike: Do you have a secret or any hidden talents?

Hendrix: I can grab things with my paw, even though I have no thumbs. I am a wonderful snoopervisor to all my bean’s projects, and nap like a professional.

Bendrix: Troublemaking

Mike: Do you stalk real live critters like mice, spiders and stuff? Do you eat what you catch?

Hendrix: I love tracking and whapping and killing bugs. I do eat them…and then bomit them back up.

Bendrix: I am a fantastic hunter. I kill any and all things. I can even catch and eat flies.

Mike: Are you afraid of anything?

Hendrix: Thunder! Woofies.

Bendrix: No way Jose!

Mike: What is the one thing you like to do the most?

Hendrix: Get pets

Bendrix: Get into trouble!