The Absence of Bob

The bubble froth floats in the iron tub, and Bob the cat is missing. Not from our lives, not from the house; not even from the bathroom. Bob has grown big enough to stop trusting his agility. He used to jump and tiptoe on the edge of the tub, dipping his face down to a clearing on the water's surface. Bob sits on the rug, waiting for a safer minute, when the water drains.