The cat with the tophat

The deliciously, delightfull, delectable, aroma of tea!

Sitting at his kitchen table, while he made tea, I glanced around the room, it was very well decorated, and adorned exquisitely, it had a homely feel, that on entering imdiately made one feel welcomed and invited. He also seemed to be quite fond and a rather vast lover of cats. He had many cat statues, like the one with the tophat out upon the house, I'd first seen, when I arrived here. While he placed a tea cup infront of me, and sat down opposite me, I imdiately took in the tea's delicious, delightful aroma. As I waited for it to cool down, he began.

"I know it is sunny out there now, my dear fellow, but you best be careful around these parts, for the weather here changes very quick". Said he, picking up his tea cup and taking a sip. I nodded silently, still bewildered about the whole ordeal, not really knowing what to say..or not having the strength or courage,..as at heart as much as I wanted to deny it, and never admit to such a thing. I was indeed a very shy, quiet, person, it takes me a lot of courage to talk to another being.

Observing my overall lack of energy, as I took a sip of my tea, savouring it as If it were the last liquid on earth humanity had to drink, he focused on me even more intently than before. Eventhough his eyes were covered, by his blindfold, I could feel them peering right through me, glimpsing at my soul. It was a rather strange feeling, one I'd never yet felt beforehand...while perceiving it, I had the sensation as though he was reading into me, into my psyche..my consciousness...my memories, my dread, my terror, and.. my spirit.
"Say, would you perhaps like to take a rest? There are many spare rooms in my home, most with beds in them".

I couldn't help myself for what came next...perhaps it was the lack of social skills and interaction....or my awful bluntness of wording things, without beating around the bush or the softening of the blow. I also had an intense piqued interest in the mysterious, and had much curiosity. Maybe so, too curious for my own good.

"Why do you wear a blindfold?". I asked, catching a flicker of his changed demeanor. All of a sudden he frowned, and his cheery catty smile disappeared, he paused in place, for a moment or two, as if frozen to his chair. "My apologies sir, I-".
"Nay..you needn't apologise, my dear fellow...you are simply...curious, and human beings are naturally curious creatures". He said with a polite smirk.

He then turned very quiet, before speaking again, clutching his teacup in his hand, as if it would run away from him at any given moment. "Well..I wear it because, I am a very self conscious gent,..you see? My eyes are quite ludicrous...they're incredibly bizarre..I'm afraid they'd scare people away...as they...have in the... pa-". He then abruptly stopped short of his sentence.

I hadn't the temerity, to press him any further, asking such questions that were still brewing in my mind. For it would be extremely ill-mannered and discourteous for me to do so. After all, this kind, peculiar gentleman had invited me into his home, given me somewhere to stay, good company, and some delicious tea.

With goodnights being exchanged and said, I plodded my way upstairs with a small candle in my left hand, strolling along the winding and twisting hallways of the gentleman's home. The crooked corridors of the mansion, seemed so infinite, and limitless, I feared if I ventured to far into one small plight, I may have been swallowed up like a mite, in one hefty bite.

At length, when I'd set foot into my room for the night, I took in how adorned the bedroom truly be! It had a welcoming atmosphere, and as I ventured in, the stronger that sensation became.

Trifling trinkets, and candles dotted about the scene, withal, not unlovingly, that was wholly impossible, since straight away, the crushing feeling, similar of that to a motherly tenderness, smothered you in it's open arms, clutching you close to it's bosom, as soon as, you embarked a few centimeters into its territory.
No, rather, the contentment and ease, one felt, followed well, with the soft glimmer of the burning wicks, the smell of rosemary blended with lavender, the view from the compact window, from which you could gape at, to see the winter evening stars, oh, how fetching!