The Art of Manipulation

On Sunday while I was eating lunch, I suddenly hear our Roomba in the other room start up and take off. I jump up to see what's going on, and I see all three cats standing around it, looking at it in awe. I turn it off and put it back on the dock. I'm laughing hysterically as I'm telling the Husband about how the cats accidentally turned it on, and then just stood there, circling around the thing like they couldn't believe it was moving, not sure if they should attack it, or run away.

On Thursday, the Husband calls me at work to say hello, and we chat for a few minutes. He works from home a lot, so he was filling me in on the happenings for the day. That's when he told me that for the past three days, while he's locked himself in the office, to keep the cats out so they can't bother him, they have started that thing up. The first time he thought it was an accident. After it kept happening day after day, he realized that they figured out how to turn it on in order to force him to come out. Apparently it happens mid-morning to about right before lunch, when they are all eager for attention or to be fed. Ahh, smart little creatures they are.

So his solution? Take the Roomba off the dock, so the battery drains, then when they try to turn it on for attention, it won't work. Pretty decent idea, except when I got home on Thursday night I didn't realize that's why it was sitting there, not charging. So I put it back on.

Friday when I get home from work, I'm unwinding in front of the TV for a bit until the Husband gets home and we'll have dinner. That's when I hear the thing start up. I go into the living room, and this is what I find...

So busted...





It can't be that he's hungry. He just ate twenty-minutes ago. So either he's looking for some attention, or something to play with. Hey, this thing will move around by itself so he can chase it. That's got to be more interesting than throwing your own toys across the floor to pounce on...