Joe Also Known As

My friend Kathy and I share the same pet care guy.  Kathy has known our guy, Joe, for years.  He helped her out years ago with her St. Bernard, Elsa.  After Elsa, she had a cat- sweet Wheezy, who curled up next to her while she withstood chemotherapy and radiation.  Joe was there to help out whenever she needed a hand.

In the meantime, I had gone through a number of different pet care people.  Kathy herself used to help me out but when her own battles took over her life I realized that I needed to find some pet care that I could count on.  So Joe became my guy as well.

The thing about Joe is that he can be counted on 110% of the time.  He leaves me a detailed note about how he fed the cats, changed the water, and cleaned the litter box.  His note always mirrors the directions I leave for him.

Recently, Kathy acquired a new St. Bernard- Winter.  Wheezy left us a few years ago, so she was back in touch with Joe today.  Which is how we came to talk about him over dinner at her place tonight.

"Oh, there's a text from Joe," she said as she showed me her phone. 

I noted the contact at the top of the text.

"Yea, I call him Joe Dog," she laughed.

I smiled and pulled out my phone.  "That's funny, I call him Catsitter Joe."