The Cat Story

...was sitting a couple mornings ago...doin’ that daily meditation thing...been pretty good about keeping that up these past three months or so....anyway, the landlady’s cat, Zeke, started meowing like crazy on the stairs just below my door...telling me he wanted to go out...but I couldn’t help him...not at that moment...because I’d just started...had nearly half an hour to go...and I’m trying to be somewhat disciplined about this...so, I kept sitting there...for a minute or so...then two...and the cat kept it up, too...until, suddenly, it occurred to me...wow...I’m using meditation as an excuse to be less compassionate...and I got up, opened the door, went downstairs, and let the cat outside...