Walter

My parents’ neighbor always feeds the outdoor cats that wander around his backyard. Every year, new black-and-white kittens bounce in the grass.

Walter is one of them. One morning, he turned to his brothers and sisters, and said, "See ya later." And, without explanation, he set off on an adventure to travel the world. He considered Egypt, Africa, and maybe Asia too.

But he only got as far as across the road, where he came to a big yard. He put down his suitcase on the step into the garage and exclaimed, "This is the life!"

Dad found him in the tree outside the backdoor. "I came from all the way over there," Walter told him, pointing to the next yard over. "It's too noisy and crowded," he said, as he waved to his relatives. "You only have one cat here, and I like having the option of this indoor living space."

Dad checked with Tyrone, who rolled his eyes at the idea of a housemate, but he said that it was okay for Walter to stay as long as no one referred to them as The Odd Couple. Within days, Walter won him over completely because that's what Walter does with anyone. Now, they are practically brothers.

Walter does a lot of yoga and meditation throughout the day. He says that we need both in these troubled times. When he's not wrestling with Tyrone, he likes to leisurely explore this sunnier side of the street. In his new digs, he advises Mom on her iPad games, and he supervises Dad's stained glass art creations.

He and Tyrone are really into history. I hear them listening to inspirational speeches in the basement at night on all sorts of topics, from civil rights and politics to climate change and new solar technologies. They have intellectual conversations about them but stop talking when they hear someone coming, as if it's a secret. They might be writing a book.

Walter loves all kinds of music, but especially jazz, reggae, and hip-hop. His musical heroes include all the old-school greats, like Bob Marley, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Abbey Lincoln, and L.L. Cool J. But he keeps up with new music too, like Camila Cabello, Kendrick Lamarr, and Chance the Rapper. He's always plugged into his earphones, making playlists. He doesn't watch much TV, but he knows all about movies. His favorite actors are Sidney Poitier and Robert Downey, Jr. He plans to join the Black Panther franchise someday.

Walter is also a great dancer! He keeps trying to get Tyrone to join him in a daily routine, inspired by West Side Story – to keep their joints flexible – but Tyrone just watches and yawns. "Someday, he's going to surprise me with a Irish jig," Walter says of his big brother. (Walter is a very optimistic Kitty.) I see Tyrone crack a smile sometimes, so maybe he is actually considering it.