As some may be aware, but many are not, Chester, my faithful writing assistant, mouse catcher, and general pain in the neck, passed away some years ago.

Recently, I was running a series based on his adventures, under the title of Past Conversations with my cat.

For those who have not had the chance to read about all of his exploits, I will run the series again from Episode 1

These are the memories of our time together…

This is Chester. He’s decided to watch the ice hockey with us.

It’s hockey night in Canada, and the Bruins are playing the Maple Leafs, our team. Chester seems unimpressed.

After several minutes, he says, it’s a lot of going back and forth with not much happening, and where’s the ball?

This is ice hockey, not football on ice, I tell him. It’s called a puck ,and it’s a disk, and you hit it with a hockey stick.

I can see this is going to be a long, difficult night.

After a few minutes, the Bruins scored and the horn sounded. It nearly scares him out of his skin.

What just happened?

I explain.

Then your team is not very good, are they, letting the other team score. Wouldn’t it be better if they all stood in a line across the front of the goal?

Then nothing would happen.

At least the other team wouldn’t score.

I shake my head. I don’t think cats quite understand the nuances of the game.

Another few minutes, Chester shakes his head and walks off, muttering, Let me know when the mouse catching championship is on.