TULIP FACES HER GREATEST FEAR

Even a Viking shield-maiden such as Tulip has a worst nightmare. We all do. You know yours. Mine’s sharks. For Winston Smith in Orwell’s 1984, it was rats. For Tulip, it’s pickup trucks, even my Dodge Ram. She always gave it the hairy eyeball. A while back, Tulip was standing at our gate with me and my son Jackson when a Silverado came around the corner. Tulip flipped out. She bolted down our lane like her tail was on fire, Jackson and I doubled over laughing. It wasn’t clear which part of Tulip would get home first, her forepaws or her pear-shaped caboose. But Vikings know real bravery is in facing your fear and I would expect nothing less of our Norwegian forest cat. The other day, I found her nose-to-nose with my Ram. She stared into that grille for quite a while. I think they sorted things out and she’s been good with the Ram ever since. Jury is still out on Silverados.