Cherry smoke; Marion's Cat 3

That smell...that slightly woody, tangy, slightly fruity scent...cherry smoke...so sweet and mellow. It's quite something when a smell manages to make you remember something poignant or triggers a brain-rushing shot that lets you transiently (and euphorically) re-live some bittersweet experience.
Speaking of brain-rushes - I tend to get these in the shower...when I'm not singing. Singing distracts you, but standing under the showerhead with the water cascading over you lets those thoughts rush through millions of synapses...you're aware of all of them at once, but can't piece something together until they reach a critical mass and - whoomph...voila...inspiration.

The tale of Marion's Cat continues...
This semi-blissful coexistence and the tolerant nature of both cat and human was conducive to a quiet, tacitly understood 'working relationship.' However, global warming had caused the approaching summer whether to boil over and the cat grew somewhat restless...it prowled across the verdant garden, longing to be cared for like other pets...to have cool mineral water sprinkled over its fur and a pet-portion cha-soba tuna salad lovingly prepared for it to consume on the lap of its owner. In contrast, the hot weather made Marion rather irritable and she took to prodding the cat in fits of rage. As a young girl she had enjoyed the maidenly sport of boxing, but the effects of a few too many bouts had taken their toll over the years and she had unfortunately developed osteoarthritis, which added to the pain from an elbow fracture (proximal radio-ulnar, comminuted, compound, with a torn annular ligament to boot!) she had sustained in her thirties that had ended her illustrious boxing career and launched her on the path to secretarial fame, working in the prestigious law firm of Cremple, Malhotra and Mars. In the heat of summer, the cat didn't fare too well under its suddenly rage-prone owner, who shunned it constantly, neglected to feed it and, as I mentioned earlier, often abused the animal. This unhappy situation was the backdrop against which Marion's cat decided to search for a new home, wandering through the city for a whole fortnight as it sought out the perfect pad. It was a warm Saturday when he finally found the perfect, uninhabited spot, before dashing back to his previous abode to bid the old house one final farewell...but that was not to be...