Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Boy Who Talks to Cats

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Starting point is 00:01:27 and sign up, follow the link for Get Sleepy Premium in the show notes, or you can subscribe directly with in Apple podcasts. Thanks so much for your support. Hello, and welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Tom, and it's my honour to be your host. Thanks so much for tuning in. A reef will be reading tonight's story, and it's a bit of a fantastical one, about a boy who helps some of his feline companions in the neighborhoods of Bangkok, Thailand, to find a new home. Now then, it's nearly time for our story.

Starting point is 00:02:26 So take a deep breath in, holding at the top, then gently release the air back out. Continue to breathe deeply and find a pace that is comfortable for you. Often at night, various things can play on our mind. Events from the day, things we need to do tomorrow, worries and concerns, or even excitement that keeps our brain busier than is ideal for sleep. And it's difficult to know quite how to deal with and respond to these thoughts. But if you've listened to this podcast for a while, you might be familiar with the suggestion I'm about to give you. And that's that each time a thought pops up in your mind, trying to grab your attention.

Starting point is 00:03:34 Just try saying, not now. You can acknowledge that the thought is there, but by responding not now, you're sending a signal to your brain that you've seen that thought, but that this is not the opportune time to deal with it. So you say not now, and it can gently float away, like a cloud drifting across a blue sky. And when you are better prepared to deal with that thought, it will come back to you during the day. So continue to breathe deeply, allowing your mind to soften and settle, and eventually you can drift off with ease. In the meantime, let your imagination be your guide and lets me to boy named Leck and

Starting point is 00:04:53 his feline friend on up at one of Bangkok's street cats who walks along a wall before hopping down and disappearing between two buildings. Lex smiles to himself and glances up at the bright blue sky. Past the shadows and cement of the sky-trained tracks. Even though he's lived in Bangkok his whole life and he's used to the huge rail lines and colossal cement pillars, it's used to the huge rail lines and colossal cement pillars. It's easy to forget there's a sky beyond the buildings and megamoles. His friend Chinda nudges him when the light changes. So, he tunes back into the conversation about their science teacher as they walk. Chinda finds it so silly that he hasn't memorized the periodic table. But Chinda is the only person like knows who has memorized it.

Starting point is 00:06:49 The two friends pass the gargantuan malls and shopping centers along Rama I road, the art and cultural center, and glimmering facades with the labyrinth of stores and passageways. Shinda may know the periodic table by heart, but Leck knows Patumon, the bustling commercial district they've both grown up in. He could probably walk the streets and malls with his eyes closed. A train rumbles overhead and they can feel sky train all the way to the end of the line above Rama 1 near the National Stadium. Then they turn off onto their own street, Cosm's son to Ali. Calling this place in Ali is like calling a lion, a kitten. They may be in the same family, but in Bangkok, Ali's are communities unto themselves. Allys are communities unto themselves.

Starting point is 00:08:32 Aside from the apartment buildings and condos, there are restaurants, nail salons, and the little stores up and down the narrow road. As they walk, the two friends stop and greet familiar neighbors. They don't even have to think about it. The respectful halos come automatically. As Chinda is chatting with an elderly neighbor, Black sees a flash of something out of the corner of his eye. He turns and catches a glimpse of a small yellow bomb tail. It's disappearing under a fragrant yellow-flowered caching a bush in the driveway of a condo complex.

Starting point is 00:09:32 When he turns back to see if Chinda is done, there is a cat sitting in front of him, looking grumpy or at least very serious. The cat blinks slowly, his eyes studying Lek. Lek recognizes this cat, even though there are more than a dozen cats in the neighborhood. This one is a buttery yellow with stripes of white. He has short fur, long and lanky legs, and a sharp, angular face with matching amber eyes. Like a lot of other cats in the city, this one has a stunted tail, just a tiny fuzzy

Starting point is 00:10:34 bob. Lek calls him omelette because even though the cat appears very serious at first, when he lies on his side and sunbathes, he looks like an egg. Lex smiles and puts his hand together to show respect, then gives a polite bow. Hello, Uncle. He says to the cat, giving the usual greeting for an older man whose name he doesn't know. I hope you're having a good day. It's passable. For now, Omlit replies, his voice deep and gravely, with a don as cautious as his stare, while he continues to study luck.

Starting point is 00:11:38 The boy nods at the response, are you talking to that cat, Shinda asks? Leck turns around to see his friend and the older woman staring at him. Leck shrugs and turns back, but omelette is gone. Leck can understand and talk to cats. He has no idea why, but he's always been able to. He used to translate messages for his mom or his friends, but they always assumed he was just a child with an overactive imagination. Eventually he realized that other people couldn't talk to cats, so he kept it to himself. But he still makes sure to check in with the neighborhood felines from time to time. They are territorial, but also protective.

Starting point is 00:12:55 They care for the neighborhood in their own mysterious ways. Once Chinda says goodbye to the older woman, they continue on home. Chinda teases Lack about how much he loves cats. He just gives the same shrug and smiles, shyly. Black lives in a big apartment building with his mom and his grandmother. Their apartment itself isn't huge, but it's comfortable. They could move into a larger space, or maybe even a house. His mom is a dentist, and she makes enough money. But the apartment is close to her dental clinic, and the Lex school, so the three of them share the cozy, cozy two bedroom.

Starting point is 00:14:09 Lack enjoys living in Batoum Wann. It's busy and noisy, especially on the main roads. But if Lack and his grandmother want a bit of quiet, they can walk down to the end of the alley and sit by the water gate, a narrow cement channel of water running through the city. Plus, there are all the neighborhood cats. Cats are everywhere in Bangkok and lack his made friends with quite a few of them. As he gets ready for dinner, lack wonders why Omlet came over to speak with him this afternoon.

Starting point is 00:15:01 Omlet's usually a bit more standoff-ish. He finds out after dinner when his grandmother sends him out to grab them both some ice cream. Lex grandmother has a sweet tooth, but is supposed to be cutting back on sugar. Every once in a while, they sneak an ice cream as a treat. On his way back home, with a pint of ice cream swinging and a canvas back on his shoulder, Lex sees a flash at the side of the road. Suddenly, Omlet is sitting in front of him in the middle of the alley. They lock eyes and the leg stops. Cats like to size one another up, so he gives Omlit a moment before bowing politely as he did before. You can understand us, Omlit says. says. Lek nods his head.

Starting point is 00:16:26 Come with me, says Omlet. Lek holds up the bag of ice cream. It's the hot season, so even later in the day, it's still sweltering. Can I get this back home first before it melts? Black asks. Omelette's little Bobtail flicks back and forth. No, he replies. With that, Omelette turns away and struts off the road. Black shrugs and follows the cat to a cluster of flower bushes.

Starting point is 00:17:20 As he walks, Omlet's fuzzy yellow Bobdale wiggles behind him. Leck has to duck under an old broken fence. But it's actually pretty easy to follow Omlet between the flowers. Leck thinks he hears something further on, but he stopped by Omlet sitting in front of him again, blocking his way. With a serious look on his face, Lack feels a bit silly, crouched down in a flower bush, talking to a cat. The cat is sizing him up again. I need your help, says Omelet. This bush has been my home for many years.

Starting point is 00:18:17 I'm not a big fan of it. I'm not a," says Omelet. This bush has been my home for many years, and this alley might territory for as long as I could hunt, but I need to leave. Lacknots, though he's kind of disappointed to hear it. He likes becoming familiar with the neighborhood cats whenever they stick around. Black doesn't understand why Omelette has come to him though, so he asks if the cat needs direction somewhere.

Starting point is 00:19:07 I've lived on these streets since before you were born, young one. No, I do not need directions," says Omelet. The cat glances in the direction of the noise Leck heard before. Omlet explains that he always thought he'd be on his own. Until one day, he met someone special. Another cat he wanted to spend his life with. Lex smiles and says, Congratulations, I'm very happy for you. Omelette's posture relaxes and his face softens.

Starting point is 00:20:02 His bob tail flicks thoughtfully and he glances in the direction of the sound. Then, he turns and leads the way through the bushes. Soon, he steps into a small clearing at the back. Leg follows and sees a mother cat lying on her side, tucked up against the stone wall of the condo's belly, squeaking quietly. The mother cat glances up, her longer puffy tails, wishing back and forth, interested in the newcomer. Lack glances over his belly and sees five more kittens, who are all a mix of white, pale yellow, and calico.

Starting point is 00:21:18 The first kitten who climbed up is so young, it hasn't even opened its eyes yet. Omelette introduces Leck to his partner, who is a white cat with black and brown galico patterns. She doesn't give her name, so Leck decides to call her Hash Brown. Omelet explains that the Alli is fine for an adult cat, but between the humans and their traffic, it's not a good place to raise kittens. But he heard of a temple in the city to the northwest, where kind monks care for street cats.

Starting point is 00:22:13 It seems like a much better place for kittens to frolic. Omelet can't explain where the temple is exactly, but he describes it as being as white as a cloud, and as hard as stone. Leck thinks for a moment and realizes he knows the place. There's a famous marble temple in the government district. Since the kittens haven't opened their eyes yet, it would be impossible for Omlit and Hashbrown to move the move to the temple as though it would be an epic quest. But for Leck, it's only about an hour long walk, or maybe a little longer when he's

Starting point is 00:23:19 with his grandmother. and mother. He supposes the world seems bigger when you're smaller. Lek agrees to help the family move to the temple. Omelet says he'll walk alongside Lek, but don't need something to carry Hash Brown and the kittens in. Of course, Black replies with a smile, crawling back out of the bush and getting a confused look from a couple walking by. He tells his grandmother that he's going out to see Chinda for a couple of hours and messages her to cover for him. She agrees, but asks him what he's doing.

Starting point is 00:24:21 He just tells her he's helping some of his neighbor's move. Then, Leck finds the cozy looking cardboard box his mom's new fan came in, puts a bottle of water in his backpack and heads out. Omelet is waiting for him when he returns, his amber eyes peering out of the bush. Leg asks if he can pet the kittens, and after a long appraising glance, Omelet blinks slowly in agreement. The kittens are so young, they're just tiny wriggling balls of fluff. Their full coloration hasn't come in yet. Four of the kittens will probably be callico patterned like hash brown.

Starting point is 00:25:27 And two look like fuzzy balls of butter taking after omelet. The kittens wriggle and squeak in the corner of the box. Lek reaches in his hand and gives them gentle headrups. They begin to mu softly. One of the buttery yellow kittens seems curious about Lek's hand. It squirms over to him, hardly able to control its squishy legs and sniff at his fingers curiously. Lex decides that this kitten is his favorite and names her roti. Eventually, Ash Brown climbs in and the kittens curl up next to her. Then, Leck picks up the box, reassuring Omelet that he'll be extra careful with its precious cargo.

Starting point is 00:26:46 First, he rests the box on his knees so he can crab-walk out from behind the bush. Omelette seems satisfied by this and dashes ahead, leading the way. Once he's out of the bush, Leck holds the box carefully in both hands. They head north, down to the end of the alley, and pass by a tourist attraction. It's a big, ruddy brown house that looms up on the left by the waterway. A mix of Thai and American architecture. They turn down a cement path along the water gate, heading westwards following the water.

Starting point is 00:27:49 Every once in a while, Lexi's people giving him strange looks, but only because a cat is marching proudly in front of him. Street cats with big personalities are common enough though, so no one bothers to watch them too closely. Leck loves this walkway, with the water gate on one side, and a wall of leafy greenery on the other. The cool, earthy smell of plant life that people grew here to make the city greener always leaves him feeling calm and content. He passes through a small, open air kitchen that looks over the

Starting point is 00:29:08 water gate. Omelet almost stops to beg for scraps. Black watches him debate with himself about the temptation of a good curry snack. But the cat resists and walks on through the restaurant, nose up in the air. Even as humans sitting at the tables hold out their hands to him, Omlet has to make it to the temple. The sun is starting to set to the west, coloring the sky with golds and oranges. Omelet and the lake cross a footbridge and continue on past the small homes that line the water gate. People stand outside, gossiping, doing laundry in shared machines, and hanging clothes on racks. Shirts that are hanging to dry dance in the warm, gentle breeze.

Starting point is 00:30:31 Small stores and family restaurants are woven into the community seamlessly. Sometimes it's hard to tell where a curry shop begins and a family home ends. Across the water, more modern apartment buildings in silver, brown, and white, loom over the smaller neighborhoods that shoot off the main street. Leck ducks into a narrow alley and follows a side street. After navigating the labyrinth of houses, they come out on Bantam Tan Road in the shade of some tamarind trees. Now, instead of leaves, the urban canopy is made of layers upon layers of phone and electrical wires. They criss-cross over crosswalks and line the main street. This area is a patchwork of ancient stores, shuttered with metal grates, as well as gleaming

Starting point is 00:31:58 modern amenities, like convenience stores and fast food places. It's a typical Bangkok neighborhood, locals sit around chatting. A group of teenagers are break dancing to some American rap music. Traffic is heavier upon Petra Bury Road, especially at this time of day. There are lots of cars, but they're still outnumbered by motorcycles and scooters. Leck can't wait until his mom will let him take their scooter out on his own. But he has to be a bit older first, she says. From here, it's almost a straight shot to the temple grounds. As he follows behind Omlet, Lecht notices how the neighborhood begins to shift.

Starting point is 00:33:17 Gone are the cozy homes and mouth-watering scents of family restaurants. mouth-watering scents of family restaurants. This is the government and palace district. The street is lined with gleaming office buildings and towering apartment complexes, with with occasional blocks of smaller low rises and old storefronts. Under the raised highway, they cross to the north side of the street. Omelet takes extra care when crossing here. extra care when crossing here. He looks behind him skeptically to make sure LEC is doing the same. LEC smiles back at him, typical old Tomcat he thinks to himself. The buildings thin out as they approach the old royal park. Trees line the street,

Starting point is 00:34:34 especially as they pass a large high school on the park grounds. With uniformed students who have stayed for after-school activities, Leck is glad he had time to change into a t-shirt and shorts has to admit, Omlet was right. It is a very long walk. Omlet is panting by this time. It's especially warm for someone covered in fur, and he's traveled far with much shorter legs than Leck. Once they're past the park grounds, Leck carefully sets the box down on the ground. Then, he pulls the water out of his backpack, pour some in the cap and holds it for Omelet, who laps at the water gratefully.

Starting point is 00:35:52 Good news, he says as the cat slurps it up. We're almost there. He points across the street and up to where the elaborate gold and red tips of the temple's roof are just coming into view. There's no way Omelet can see it from on the ground, but when the light changes and they cross the next street, the cat step a little chantier, like notices. They pass some more government buildings and as school before they can see the modest temple grounds. As they near the fence, Lex spots a few monks walking around the grounds in their saffron colored robes. There it is, Lex says to Omelet, your temple, your temple, as pure and white as clouds, and as hard as stone. The roof of the temple is made of marble, is a cloudy, pearl-essent

Starting point is 00:37:31 white. The temple's beauty and uniqueness make Leck catch his breath, even though he's seen it so many times before. The quiet drone of monks in prayer drifts on the breeze. Omelet and Lack pass the gatehouses, which are marble white like the temple itself, and turn towards the apartments. Monks go about their business, doing chores and sweeping the alleys. He stops and gives a polite bow to every monk a pass.

Starting point is 00:38:30 Like notices many cats lasing around, tucked into little alcoves, or even stretched out across the middle of the path. Used to these small companions, the monks walk around them. Leck can see why Omlit would want to bring his family here. Even though the cats still live outside, the monks are affectionate towards them, and they seem to be well cared for. Omelet stops in front of another cashy abush, not much bigger than the one where he used to live.

Starting point is 00:39:21 Yes, this is good, he tells Lek. This will be a safe place for the kittens to grow up. Without another word, he ducks under the bush and disappears. Leck gently places the box down and glances at Hash Brown. Her tail swishes happily, even as the kittens start a fresh chorus of squeaks and meows. What he means to say is thank you, says Ash Brown. He was almost too proud to ask for help, but I'm glad he did. Me too, Leck agrees, as he helps her lift the out, one by one. The wriggling, squeaking kittens slowly wobble their way under the bush, following the scent

Starting point is 00:40:35 of their mother. She glances back at black one last time, giving him a slow, thankful blink before heading inside their new home. The last kitten to wander under the bush is Roti. roti. Leck gives her an affectionate rub on the head and scoots her in after her family. Then he stands, dusts off his knees and glances up at the sky, which is now a deep pink purple. It's time to head back to his apartment, he thinks to himself. With little ceremony, but with a feeling of warmth inside his chest, feeling of warmth inside his chest. He walks back past the temple and starts the journey home. ... you you I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing.

Starting point is 00:43:07 I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. ... ... ... you you ... ... ... ... ... you ... you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Boy Who Talks to Cats

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