The journey of a ginger cat

Hi friends, I want to tell you about a very beautiful ginger cat today. My friend @qwerrie reminded me of the #EcencyDiscord challenge, and I suppose the challenge is a great reason to post these photos. This week's theme is 'Pets'. Related to this theme, @qwerrie recalled my recent post in which I described an encounter with a domestic pig on city streets. Well, the pictures of the pig have already been published, and I have no other stories of unusual pets. But I do have a story of an ordinary pet cat, but in unusual circumstances.

I met this red-haired beauty at the Retro Transport Festival. This festival was held in our city last week. It is a large-scale event in which everyone can look at old trams, trolleybuses, buses and cars. You can also go inside buses and trams and sit by the window on the old seats, imagining that you are suddenly transported back many years to the time of your childhood. The tram bell rings and your imaginary journey begins!

I have walked for a long time between trams and buses, and on several occasions I have met people with dogs. It is unlikely that the owners had brought their pets with them purposely, rather they were residents of the neighbourhood. But this ginger cat was an exception. He came here on purpose, on a tour. The first time I saw this cat was from afar. It was just leaving the old yellow Ikarus bus. A few minutes later, I met him again; this time the cat was nestled comfortably on a mattress in its own pram.

I thought I wouldn't meet that cat again that day. I continued my walk and my attention was fully absorbed by the other events of the festival. Once I thought I saw that wonderful ginger again - but it wasn't a cat, it was a small dog.

But I met that cat again later, one more time. I was able to get close to him and take a close-up portrait. I was already quite tired, so I entered one of the trams to sit on an old wooden bench polished to a shine by my predecessors. I immediately noticed the familiar red at the opposite end of the tram. I walked closer and took the seat next to me.

At first I thought the cat was looking at me, ready to chat and tell me about his impressions of the festival. But the cat wasn't looking at me at all. There was a tram bell cord hanging behind my back and it was that string that seemed like a welcome prize for my neighbour. Cats are cats; they always have their own ideas in mind!

I did not meet any more cats that day, but my story would remain incomplete if I did not mention a related association. There is a character in popular children's cartoons - the cat Matroskin. The figure of this cat can sometimes be found on playgrounds along with another character from these cartoons - Postman Pechkin.

I have purposely added to this post a picture of one of these playgrounds. Pechkin the postman and Matroskin the cat are in the foreground, with other cartoon characters at the back of the playground.

Walking around the festival grounds, I reached the site with the old cars and met the real postman Pechkin! True, this time the postman was present without company - the cat Matroskin did not keep him company. But, of course, I remembered that wonderfully clever and rational talking cat from the village of Prostokvashino.

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Smartphone	Google Pixel 3a
Location	Saint Petersburg, Russia