Los Gatos Weekly-Times

THE PROWLER

Wherever you go, there you are.

The Prowler has yet to find the genesis of this ambiguous little aphorism, but three friends have offered subtly differing interpretations. This cat has found it rings true in a variety of situations.

In recent weeks, while venturing from these cozy cat quarters to other locales, it seems that wherever The Prowler goes, there Los Gatos is! On a jaunt over the hill to some favorite haunts in Santa Cruz and Capitola, this cat noticed a veritable caravan of cars and trucks and things that go bearing license-plate frames, stickers or other signs of Los Gatan origin. Perhaps these were intrepid shoppers who decided to play tourist in a different city's quaint downtown? Or, perhaps they sought a quiet catnap in the sun at Capitola Beach.

The Santa Clara County Fair was another spot where Los Gatos was well represented. Didn't actually see any Cat Town comrades during the traditional fair visit, but did see quite a bit of handiwork from some skillful local residents. From foodstuffs like jam and pickles and future edibles (livestock) to inedibles in the creative and industrial arts fields, there was much on exhibition to make a local cat purr.

Even where least expected, this town has fans, albeit sometimes a bit absent-minded. While venturing up the wild Sonoma Coast last month, the Prowler lodged at a rustic seaside inn that, among other things, had four resident felines.

While chatting with another inn-mate, the conversation turned to hometowns. My new friend seemed to recognize the Los Gatos name but not the locale. The first question this cat's brain came up with was, "do you know where San Jose is?" Turns out the person has a friend in San Jose (doesn't everyone?) and then recalled Los Gatos, clearly and with compliments.

Recognition-by-association is better than nothing!

This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, August 14, 1996.
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