REYN 6 A- DRAFT/SOURCE Reyn's Tabby-let- Part One 1747/370

Now she is safe and happily at home with Reyn and me, and of course we are overjoyed that she is back.


PICTURE

This picture was taken the same week, perhaps the same day, that we began discussing Reyn's desire to upgrade her outdated eight-inch Samsung tablet and get her something larger. Something more suitable for her blooming career. She had been pestering me about this nearly every day in Nalini’s absence.

It was three years ago, we were still living in La Canada when I gifted Reyn this tiny, well-used tablet. Since then she's published her first book of poetry, ‘Paws for Reyn’, and is now outlining her first book “Who’ll Stop the Reyn?”. It's evident to all that she wants to be a writer.

It wasn't just a larger tablet, but now she wanted a laptop as well. Not only that she wanted her own checking and savings accounts. She wanted to invest some of her royalty checks into an IRA. She felt ready to make her own financial decisions, control direct and indirect purchases, and manage her business independently of our family.

She needed to purchase specific equipment to reduce her workload, to make writing physically easier, and to streamline her creative process. She insisted she must establish short and long-term capital gain accounts, "so I can depreciate or sell my assets and earn some tax relief for us. We may need them.”

She had already applied for ADA assistance. It looked likely that she would receive it.

“Don't you see", she exclaimed, "it’s like our fax machine and copier, they just aren’t good enough anymore. Nobody faxes, and we can't do FaceTime or Zoom with our old Windows Vista OS. We need to update.

"I don't want you guys to be running off to Kinko’s all the time! And it's not that I don't love you, you know that I always will. I just need a little freedom. you know. And I'll always be your house cat, but I just need a little more space for myself. I’m seven years old and I’m already on my third life!”

Reyn had been calm but firm with her requests, but she just stopped abruptly. Nalini was taking it harder than I was. She was leaning into me on the sofa, head on my chest, weeping softly.

Reyn couldn't bear seeing this and gently leaped to Nalini's lap, consoling her softly in Hindi.

Having been home together for the past few months, just Reyn and me, I could see this morning coming. It was a lot for Nalini to digest. Reyn was not her little kitten anymore. She had grown up and Nalini had to adjust to that. Yet, the advantage for Reyn to invest in a laptop and tablet made perfect sense. She was still apprehensive about the other things.

Nalini thought it unwise to place any large sum of money into a bank. She warned, “The internet keeps saying that cash will be obsolete in a month or two and that the dollar will have no value at all." She added "In India, we invest in gold. You should consider gold, and then maybe some Fortune 500 stocks with an IRA or two on the side.”

Reyn listened patiently, licking and grooming herself as she'd done for most of the time we spoke. She rolled on the carpet from side to side, finally stretching each limb to its fullest. She popped to her feet, licked her forearms, and sat bolt upright. Completing a long wide yawn, she extended her tongue as only cats can do. She shook her head and torso briskly and firmly before responding to our suggestions.

Like a latter-day teen would conclude, she said flatly... “But it’s my money…”

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Pictured below is Reyn, and her godmother, Nalini. The photo was taken about a month after Nalini returned from India. She sat out the first four months of the Pandemic there visiting her parent's farm in Rajasthan. It was a much-deserved vacation for her and a safe harbor from the confusion and intolerance imposed by the emerging Trump regime.
Now she is safe and happily at home with Reyn and me, and of course we are overjoyed that she is back.






PICTURE

This picture was taken the same week, perhaps the same day, that we began discussing Reyn's desire to upgrade her outdated eight-inch Samsung tablet and get her something larger. Something more suitable for her blooming career. She had been pestering me about this nearly every day in Nalini’s absence.

It was three years ago, we were still living in La Canada when I gifted Reyn this tiny, well-used tablet. Since then she's published her first book of poetry, ‘Paws for Reyn’, and is now outlining her first book “Who’ll Stop the Reyn?”. It's evident to all that she wants to be a writer.

It wasn't just a larger tablet, but now she wanted a laptop as well. Not only that she wanted her own checking and savings accounts. She wanted to invest some of her royalty checks into an IRA. She felt ready to make her own financial decisions, control direct and indirect purchases, and manage her business independently of our family.

She needed to purchase specific equipment to reduce her workload, to make writing physically easier, and to streamline her creative process. She insisted she must establish short and long-term capital gain accounts, "so I can depreciate or sell my assets and earn some tax relief for us. We may need them.”

She had already applied for ADA assistance. It looked likely that she would receive it.

“Don't you see", she exclaimed, "it’s like our fax machine and copier, they just aren’t good enough anymore. Nobody faxes, and we can't do FaceTime or Zoom with our old Windows Vista OS. We need to update.

"I don't want you guys to be running off to Kinko’s all the time! And it's not that I don't love you, you know that I always will. I just need a little freedom. you know. And I'll always be your house cat, but I just need a little more space for myself. I’m seven years old and I’m already on my third life!”

Reyn had been calm but firm with her requests, but she just stopped abruptly. Nalini was taking it harder than I was. She was leaning into me on the sofa, head on my chest, weeping softly.

Reyn couldn't bear seeing this and gently leaped to Nalini's lap, consoling her softly in Hindi.

Having been home together for the past few months, just Reyn and me, I could see this morning coming. It was a lot for Nalini to digest. Reyn was not her little kitten anymore. She had grown up and Nalini had to adjust to that. Yet, the advantage for Reyn to invest in a laptop and tablet made perfect sense. She was still apprehensive about the other things.

Nalini thought it unwise to place any large sum of money into a bank. She warned, “The internet keeps saying that cash will be obsolete in a month or two and that the dollar will have no value at all." She added "In India, we invest in gold. You should consider gold, and then maybe some Fortune 500 stocks with an IRA or two on the side.”

Reyn listened patiently, licking and grooming herself as she'd done for most of the time we spoke. She rolled on the carpet from side to side, finally stretching each limb to its fullest. She popped to her feet, licked her forearms, and sat bolt upright. Completing a long wide yawn, she extended her tongue as only cats can do. She shook her head and torso briskly and firmly before responding to our suggestions.

Like a latter-day teen would conclude, she said flatly... “But it’s my money…”

<< End of part one. Hit "like" or make a comment to read part two >>

I suggested to Reyn that we simply gift her a thousand dollars and help her to find the tools she needed, then she could save her money and… do what? I almost said “Help us pay for you to go to college”, but instead I said, “For whatever you want, maybe upgrade your Barbie Jeep and get a Smart Car or Minnie Cooper…” I was grasping for straws and finally said “Actually, Reyne, I can see you’ve thought this out pretty well. It is, after all, your money. Keep us in the loop, posted as you will, and under advisement.”

On Thursday Reyn had plotted everything she wanted to buy. She was still poking around the internet looking for better values, securing her choices, but she was ninety-nine percent confident with her choices, maybe more. She knew better than to ask my advice. I’m no help at these things. I have no patience. I buy what people recommend, or what the salesperson says suits me best. I just want it to be done.

Saturday was the big day. Our plan was to visit Target, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, and a Chic electronics store Reyn had heard of from a friend. During lunch, we would choose which stores to return to and complete our purchase. Yes, this was old-school shopping, but we’re tactile people. Besides, ever since Covid, at least for me, it’s really nice to get outside. Reyn loved to get out as well, a chance to poke her head out of her accessorized Barbie carry all and look about. It turns out that she is a real believer in 'touch before you buy.'

On Friday everything changed, or was diverted when a thick certified envelope arrived mail from Reyn’s publisher. It contained, among other papers, a Bank of America Gold Visa with a five-thousand-dollar credit limit. The accompanying cover letter read something like, “Dear Reyn:

“This is for incidentals. Should your Barbie Jeep break down, and you need a Lyft. If you discover you need or want books, an e-reader, stationery supplies, or need to travel for research, whatever. This is yours.  It is your quarterly expense account. If you find you need a higher limit, ask.  *1–

What was that about Indians and their gold?

*1– “Your Guardians, Nalini and, or Dalton, or your agent Gigi Jillbus (representing  Piedmont Publishing) will have to approve all purchases (see addendum to your contract).  We trust you know how to use it. We’ll warn gently for mistakes. Enjoy, but not overly! Keep in mind that other expense and cost provisions of your contract remain in effect until modified by mutual consent “

ORIGINAL