To Tobby’s long list of royal habits, I must now add one more: his private tanning salon.
It is located on our balcony. It opens every morning. And it has exactly one client.
A coat that is already perfect
Let me say this first, so there is no misunderstanding. Tobby’s coat is magnificent. It is the colour of the finest Swiss cocoa: deep, velvety, pure chocolate, without the faintest hint of red or coffee. People stop us in the street to tell him so. He accepts their compliments with a slow blink, like a man who has heard it all before.
And yet Tobby is firmly convinced that perfection is not a destination. It is a daily practice.
Finding the spot
Every morning, the moment the balcony door opens, he steps out with an air of great importance. He does not lie down just anywhere. Oh no. First comes the inspection.
He walks the length of the balcony slowly, nose slightly raised, studying the light. He tests one patch of sun with a front paw. Too pale. He tests another. Too close to the edge. Finally he finds it: the warmest, most golden square of sunlight on the whole balcony. He circles it twice, lowers himself into it with a deep, satisfied sigh, and closes his eyes.
The salon is officially open.
The treatment
What happens next is not lazy lounging. It is a carefully timed procedure.
He lies on one side, perfectly still, soaking up the warmth. And then, after a certain number of minutes that only he knows, he lets out a small, dramatic sigh, lifts himself just enough, and rolls over onto the other side. Exactly like a chicken turning slowly on a spit, so that every inch gets the same golden glow.
A few minutes later: sigh, roll, other side again.
He never forgets. He never loses count. I have tried to time it, and I swear the intervals are nearly equal. Somewhere inside that chocolate head there is a very precise little clock that says: turn now, or you will be uneven.
When the sun moves
The sun, of course, does not respect Tobby’s schedule. It moves across the balcony, slowly, as the morning goes on. And every time his perfect square of light drifts a little to the left, Tobby opens one eye, sighs at the injustice of it all, and shuffles after it without fully standing up. A slow, sleepy crawl of a dog following the sun like a sunflower with legs.
If a cloud passes, he lifts his head and looks at the sky with deep personal disappointment, as if the management will be hearing about this.
The final stage
And then comes the best part. Warm right through, his coat glowing like a freshly baked chocolate cake, Tobby lets go completely. His legs stretch out. His jowls relax. And from somewhere deep inside him comes a soft, sun-baked snore.
That is the moment I usually sit down next to him with my coffee. I don’t say anything. I just watch my chocolate aristocrat roasting gently in the morning light, completely unbothered by the world, and I think he has understood something important that the rest of us keep forgetting.
That soaking up a little light is never a waste of time.
dark coats heat up quickly, so on hot days we keep the sun sessions short, make sure there is shade to retreat to and always leave fresh water nearby.
What is your favourite simple way to soak up a little warmth when you need a recharge? You can tell me. Tobby recommends the left side first.
Would you like to share your answer?
I read every answer myself. It stays private unless you say otherwise.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out to local emergency services or a crisis line in your country right now. You deserve immediate support.
With love, and a wet nose from Tobby
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