Mike McEuen’s employment has a lot of advantages, including the pets he gets to meet on his travels.
While McEuen, a mail carrier in McKinleyville, California, adores all of them, one in particular, Bijou, stands out.
“I like seeing a few dogs on my routes, and a couple of them seem to recognize the sound of my truck’s door sliding open. “I prefer to at least offer them a ‘hello’ and some brief love before moving on if I can make it work (still have to be done on time!),” McEuen told us. “However, Bijou is the only cat on my routes that appears to make it a point to pay me a visit every time I pass by.”
When McEuen started a new route four years ago, he encountered Bijou.
Despite her harsh appearance, the ancient cat with one milky eye and a crooked half-tail had a reputation among other postal carriers as the ultimate sweetie.
“When I initially met her, my first impression was that she was a very elderly, gentle kitten who appeared to have seen it all. “It’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s as wonderful as it gets,” McEuen remarked. “I informed the route’s usual carrier about it, and he said, ‘Yeah, that’s Bijou.’ ‘She’s the greatest!’
McEuen works five different routes as a replacement carrier, so he only sees Bijou once a week. When she hears his truck approaching her house, though, the small cat makes it a point to go out and visit her pal.
“When she heard me getting out of the vehicle for the first several years, she would wander out to the mailbox,” McEuen added.
Bijou has never been bashful, and she would rub against McEuen’s foot until he finished delivering even in the early days of their acquaintance.
The ancient cat has recently become even more daring, getting inside McEuen’s truck while he is preoccupied.
“She started becoming more experimental with my truck at the end of last year,” McEuen revealed. “It’s only a few feet from where I’m delivering, so she travels that way when she sees me working and not stooping down to pat her.”
“She started crawling in and wandering around on the flooring after a couple months of sniffing around the door,” McEuen continued. “That rapidly turned into her sinking into the seat.
The two have gotten close over time, to the point that Bijou would not allow McEuen leave without giving her some quality time — even if it means seizing control of his car.
“I quickly realized that I couldn’t just yank her out of the truck.” “She’d stand her ground and resist softly until I picked her up and gave her a couple pets and squeezes,” McEuen explained. “Once that’s taken care of, she’ll be glad to return to her abode until the next time I see her.”
Despite the fact that Bijou might be demanding, her visits always brighten McEuen’s day.
“Most cats seem pleased to remain to themselves and do their own thing,” McEuen added. “I’d like to believe Bijou looks forward to the mailmen arriving as much as we do to being greeted by her!”
