Category: Blast From the Past

Talking to one of my kids on the phone:

Me: You know there was a time when there was no kitty litter. Everyone had to use shredded up newspaper in a carboard box. No fancy plastic kitty litter boxes, either. Tin foil wrapped over a box. And shredded newspaper.

Kid: Wow. And I bet you had to walk to school in ten feet of snow. Uphill. Both ways.

Me: Actually, I grew up in Florida. Only five feet of snow… and hurricanes. I had to walk to school during hurricanes in ten feet of raging water.

Kid: Uphill?

Me: Yeah. Both ways. You should try that. Walking uphill when there is a torrent coming down the hill.

Kid: What’s that got to do with kitty litter? I told you I needed to buy kitty litter and you start telling me about the good old days.

Me: It was the ultimate in recycling. People got rid of old newspapers at the same time as they filled their litter box. That was before kitty litter was invented.

Kid: I think kitty litter was discovered, not invented.

Me: Discovered? There were prospectors panning for kitty litter in California rivers?

Kid: That isn’t what I meant.

Me: Kitty litter was invented. Back in 1948 by Ed Lowe. He is famous for it. I mean the only thing noteworthy the guy ever did was inventing kitty litter. He invented the name “Kitty Litter” and it has stuck. He was worth about a half billion dollars when he died.

Kid: How do you know this stuff?

Me: I must have read it somewhere.

Kid: Well, as I said earlier, I am hanging up so I can go to the store to buy some kitty litter.

Me: But, now you know more about kitty litter than anyone else.

Kid: Except for you. It was a question on Jeopardy, wasn’t it?

Me: In the Category of Kitty Litter, Alex, for a thousand dollars…

Kid: No, that would be in the category of stuff only KayFour knows for a thousand dollars.

Me: You got me.

Kid: And to add insult to injury, you are going to blog about this.

Me: I hadn’t thought of it… until NOW.

Kid: Just don’t mention my name.