It was when her gaze lifted from the cap that she noticed the gray cat staring at her.<br/>He, and somehow she immediately thought of him as a he, looked at her pointedly and seemed to be about to speak.  Instead he yawned, turned, and made a silent and very graceful leap onto the main counter of the store.  Hopping down behind the counter he left her view, but she saw a slight sway in the curtain to the back room.  A few seconds later a distinguished looking man drew back the curtain and walked out to the great oak counter.<br/><br/>"Good evening miss" he said graciously.  "And what have you found that interests you?"