This is a photo of Tom playing the very competitive game of "Mouse" with the two cats we got as kittens in 1999. Tom named them Cool Breeze and Sirocco (Rocky) and they are still with me today, almost 11 and still quite kittenish.Tom built that cat fantasy playground up on the wall; two boards with a hidden part where they could disappear from view up on the very high wall of one side of the house. Access was gained by scrambling up the rolled up carpet (to the left). Small catnip mice were tossed up to the cats (mostly Breeze, who is the more athletic of the two) who would bat them back. They played for hours, with Tom encouraging them to exceed their personal best. Extra points were given to cats who could bat the mouse down the hole in the carpet roll.
Tom loved the kitties but sometimes Rocky annoyed him by constantly seeking affection (which she still does). In his words "Rocky's such a needy f#@%." Another beloved Tomism from that our homeowning adventure: when we were experimenting with gardening Tom didn't want to cut down the weeds, because they were actually quite beautiful. "I know they're called weeds," he said, "but I can't work up a hate for them." Tom loved living in the country but the silence sometimes was too much for him. We brought our "noise machine" which we used to drown out the traffic on First Avenue, so it could lull him to sleep. You can take the boy out of the city . . .
Tom opened "Artform Furniture Restoration" in Great Barrington and worked hard for so many years to make it a success. For a long time, it was, and his clients ranged from second home owners to the Four Seasons Hotel in NYC which continued to send him their tables for gold leafing long after we left the city. He employed young men from around the area and more than once served as a mentor and friend to them, giving him some of the support and encouragement he had not received at their age.
Audrey, thanks for this "action shot". I remember Tom taking me by your old house and peering in the window while he described this cat athletic event to me and the contraption he'd built. I love your description of him coaching them - sounds like they were much better students than I. He gave me ball throwing lessons and taught me to play miniature golf, even tried to teach me to shoot basketball. I was not a very apt pupil but he was a patient teacher. The thing that really amazed me about that was his ability to see extremely precisely what I was doing wrong. His perceptions were so acute (not that my mistakes were necessarily subtle!)
ReplyDeleteThe weed story is also a great one...though does it say something about his ability to rationalize as well as his open minded appreciation of beauty? :-) Tom loved to think in fresh ways about everything and to question his and everyone else's assumptions. He was the best sounding board I ever knew because of that coupled with his wide ranging intelligence and his ability to separate his own thoughts and feelings from objective reality while helping me to do the same.
ReplyDeleteAt night the "noise machine" was a permanent fixture but on a good day I think he came to appreciate the quiet....the sound of the tall trees swaying in the wind was a favorite.
ReplyDeleteAfter being out of NYC for many years, I got a good laugh when I once called Tom at work, and he answered the phone "Awrt Fowrm"!!! As you said Audrey - you can take the boy out of the city, but...(so funny!)
ReplyDeleteSooooo funny.....his accent was a stand out especially in MA.Clearly part of his personality. He talked about NYC a great deal. We only traveled there once together....spent a nice day just knocking around. Central Park....he had to show me the bowling green....and his favorite joint for gyros.He introduced me to "Larry" at the Four Seasons where his beautiful gold leaf tables were everywhere!!Thanks Debbie....now I know the proper spelling of Artform!! I often teased him about that one!!
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